Team A comes to the line and all players stop for 1 second. Then 2 backs shift to the other side of the formation. 1 player stops and the other is still in motion at the snap. Illegal motion, does it convert to a false start at the snap?
Illegal shift, but this one is a live ball foul. It does not convert to a false start.
After the ball is ready for play, at some point, all players of Team A must come to a complete stop and PAUSE for 1 full second. If the ball begins to move for the snap before the completion of the one-second pause, THAT is an illegal shift that converts to a false start - dead-ball foul.
What we oftentimes see is a team move into a formation, and all players get to positions and stop instantaneously, but before the one second pause has been completed by ALL players, a back begins his motion movement. That is still part of the original shift, and now that back must fully stop and ALL players must become/remain still (pause) for one full second before a back may begin a legal motion movement, or before the ball may be snapped. Failure to comply will become a dead-ball false start at the moment the ball begins to move for a snap.
After all players of Team A have moved to a formation and fully stopped and PAUSED for one full second, then:
1) any illegal shift thereafter is a live-ball foul;
2) a single back moving forward at the snap is illegal motion (a live ball foul).
Many coaches think that an instantaneous stop is all that’s is required. WRONG! There must be a one full second pause after the last player fully stops.
