LSU/'Bama

[Curious]

Not an NCAA official; so bear with me....

Twice in this game, a back went in motion as the line set.  He continued in motion until the ball was snapped.  Then, and only until then, was a flag thrown (which makes sense); but they killed the play - called it a "dead ball foul".

At the High School level, we would call this an illegal shift - a live ball foul - allowing the play to run and enforcing the foul after the play.

Was this (dead ball) the correct enforcement at the NCAA level? 

[TXMike]

This is a recent development in the NCAA   This is now referred to as "an illegal shift that converts  to a false start."  If all 11 are not set for a second before the snap , then that "illegal shift" becomes a false start. If all 11 are set and then you have a shift but no reset, that is still a live ball illegal shift.

[Curious]

This is a recent development in the NCAA   This is now referred to as "an illegal shift that converts  to a false start."  If all 11 are not set for a second before the snap , then that "illegal shift" becomes a false start. If all 11 are set and then you have a shift but no reset, that is still a live ball illegal shift.

Thanks Mike (I take back all the things I said about the SEC crew ); but can you explain why they made this distinction?  I can understand if a player in motion suddenly turns up-field prior to the snap, that it should be blown dead; but if he's just going parallel to the LOS why consider it a DB foul?

[mishatx]

This was made a DB foul when the 10 second run off was added.  Consider a situation at the end of the game where the clock is running and Team A is rushing to the line to kill the clock and run on the field goal unit.  If team A does not set before snapping the ball, but if this is a live ball foul, then team A can essentially trade 5 yards for the ability to get the ball snapped and grounded before time runs out.  With this a dead ball foul, it becomes subject to the 10 second run off, and team A loses the option of cheating the spirit of the rule.

[Diablo]

This was made a DB foul when the 10 second run off was added.  Consider a situation at the end of the game where the clock is running and Team A is rushing to the line to kill the clock and run on the field goal unit.  If team A does not set before snapping the ball, but if this is a live ball foul, then team A can essentially trade 5 yards for the ability to get the ball snapped and grounded before time runs out.  With this a dead ball foul, it becomes subject to the 10 second run off, and team A loses the option of cheating the spirit of the rule.

Why did failure to get set for a sec and conform to the 9-yard requirements get singled out to be switched from live-ball to dead-ball fouls.

Why didn't the rules maker apply the same reasoning to other Team A live-ball fouls at the snap?  Examples: a Team A player lined up in "no man's land", more than 4 backs, less than 5 lineman numbered 50-79 and Team A player in motion towards the NZ at the snap.
 

[Curious]

This was made a DB foul when the 10 second run off was added.  Consider a situation at the end of the game where the clock is running and Team A is rushing to the line to kill the clock and run on the field goal unit.  If team A does not set before snapping the ball, but if this is a live ball foul, then team A can essentially trade 5 yards for the ability to get the ball snapped and grounded before time runs out.  With this a dead ball foul, it becomes subject to the 10 second run off, and team A loses the option of cheating the spirit of the rule.

Seems to me that they could accomplish the same thing with a "false" false start....

Why did failure to get set for a sec and conform to the 9-yard requirements get singled out to be switched from live-ball to dead-ball fouls.

Why didn't the rules maker apply the same reasoning to other Team A live-ball fouls at the snap?  Examples: a Team A player lined up in "no man's land", more than 4 backs, less than 5 lineman numbered 50-79 and Team A player in motion towards the NZ at the snap.
 

Bingo!

[mishatx]

Purposefully false starting would be subject to the 10 sec zap.