We called DOD for abrupt movement by the defense as well as DSC during the regular season. Our approach will not change this week.
On another note in a Regional playoff game earlier, one of the coaches described an abrupt "stemming" play. We advised that if we felt it caused FST, we'd put it on the defense. He looked at my U and I and pondered for a moment and said "okay". They didn't "stem" once.
I hope you didn't tell him that, explicitly. A foul for an abrupt defensive movement intended to cause a false start
does NOT require a reaction by Team A. It is a foul, with, or without a reaction by Team A. When the coaches understand that there simply is no way to legally CAUSE a false start, and, in fact,
defenses are not allowed to even TRY to cause a false start, then, maybe, this whole 'stemming' business will go away. (WTF does 'stemming' mean, anyway?)
Coaches keep asking how they may move, legally. When I show them, they have looks on their faces like, "Well, that's not gonna cause anybody to jump." No s----, Sherlock. They try to convince us that they need to move abruptly to change their positioning to make it more difficult for Team A to block them. To which I respond, "So, why do you need to move abruptly, when an easy movement gets the job done, without risk of causing a false start?" They stumble around trying to justify the abrupt movement, when, in fact, they are only doing this to try to get Team A to false start.
Does the offense have an advantage with respect to the snap count? Yes, but only with respect to verbal commands. The signal caller is permitted to use whatever verbal commands, cadence, inflection and/or volume he wants. Team A has the advantage there, and that is how the Rules Committee has wanted for at least 51 years (probably longer, but that's the limit of my involvement, to date).
But, just as the defense (in the area near the neutral zone) is not allowed to make abrupt movements intended to cause a false start, the offensive signal caller may not bob his head and/or shoulders, 'chuck' his arms (thrust them up, down, forward or backward), drop his body, take a step, or make any other body movement - except clapping of the hands - that can be interpreted - by the officials - as the start of a down. Such movements are, in fact, intended to cause a defensive offside. Yes, verbally, Team A may cause a DOF. But, they may not use body movements to cause a DOF. So, there is 'equity' on that point.
Sorry, coach. You CAN'T
cause team A to false start. End of story. Not our interpretation. It is the
rule, and the direction officials are given by the NCAA (to which, the UIL has no 'exception'). Those of us in TASO - to a man/woman - simply have to understand and accept this rule, and have the courage to make these calls.
