Too Many Players on the Line of Scrimmage
- Thread starter HawkGA
- Start date
Seanhawk
New member
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2009
- Messages
- 6,819
- Reaction score
- 0
Is there such a rule? I know there is a rule for there being a minimum of seven players on the line, but you can have more than seven. Having more than seven reduces the amount of eligible receivers you can have on the play though.
I can't remember the specific game but I recall hearing in a game (might have been college, so maybe that matters) about a WR being on the line of scrimmage when he should have been back a bit. Announcer said something about "covering" the TE. I believe the official penalty is called an Illegal Formation.
Yes, this is a real penalty. Frankly, I don't know if there is a maximum number of players that can be on the LOS. Doesn't apply to defense, of course. But on offense, there are certain groups of numbers that are designated as elilgible receivers/ball carriers. I know they can't play an ineligible player in an eligible position without checking in with the ref, but are there rules about an eligible receiver playing in an ineligible position? Per the rule you point out, I guess there is.HawkGA":2ar1rwzn said:
kidhawk
Well-known member
Here's the OFFICIAL rule
BirdsCommaAngry
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2013
- Messages
- 1,278
- Reaction score
- 78
It's to prevent rioting. If there are too many players at the line of scrimmage and the referees make a call they dislike, they will riot. They will riot hard.
So that makes it sound like they have to have at least 7 but that they could have everybody (save for the QB, of course). I'm quite certain I've seen a penalty called when a WR was on the line of scrimmage but shouldn't have been. But again, I'm pretty sure it was a college game so maybe that is the difference.
kidhawk
Well-known member
HawkGA":1t5kkzi7 said:
When lining up on the line of scrimmage, only the two outside players are eligible receivers, so for this reason, most teams generally don't have more than 7 players line up that way. I'm not sure I've ever seen it called where there were too many on the line of scrimmage so perhaps it was college or maybe it was just an illegal formation call but wasn't too many men on the line of scrimmage
It happens all the time, where an outside receiver, presumably a flanker, is too close to the line and thus 'covers' another receiver with an eligible number. I guess it begs the question: Could you put 7 ineligible linemen out there, along with two WR, which would be on the line and eligible to catch a ball as long as they were on the line and 'covered' the ineligible linemen?kidhawk":1dsbo6yi said:
Interesting possible loophole. How long until Belichick exploits it? :laugh:
Seanhawk
New member
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2009
- Messages
- 6,819
- Reaction score
- 0
This probably occurred because the WR was the end man on the line of scrimmage and there was another eligible receiver between him and the tackle on the line of scrimmage as well. If you have an eligible receiver number (11-49 or 80-89 in the NFL I believe) and you are lined up in an ineligible position then you have to report as ineligible. I think this is what all the hullabaloo was about with the Patriot formations in the playoffs a couple years back.
kidhawk
Well-known member
sutz":2zy1171d said:
Saw this play and figured this was as good a place as any to post it. Interesting way they arranged their linemen on this play
[youtube]NnJcHKGmmVc[/youtube]
kidhawk":nw3nrxvi said:
Oh, okay, only the two outside being eligible. That makes sense.
So that gets me back to the original question. Is there purpose to this rule? Would offenses have a competitive advantage by putting all players on the line of scrimmage?
kidhawk
Well-known member
HawkGA":295gvvn7 said:
As the rule is written they wouldn't, because as was mentioned by someone up the thread, there are eligible numbers and ineligible numbers. When either of them switch, the referee must be notified and in turn must notify the defense with an announcement. So if they all lined up on the line of scrimmage, there would likely 2-3 ineligible numbers lined up on the line of scrimmage. They would have to announce that to the other team or get penalized. This would reduce the amount of eligible receivers to 2 and be pretty easy to defend, especially considering there'd be an empty backfield. At least that's how I see it.
Might help in the running game, I guess. :laugh:HawkGA":3t074z9z said:
Certainly would limit your options in the passing game if there are only two receivers. In the lower levels, college and HS, there is no numbering control over eligible and non-eligible positions. In the pros, the numbers tell the refs who's eligible and not. Thus the necessity to report when a team brings in a 6th OL in their heavy packages. I was a little vague on the idea that eligible players have to report when they play ineligible, so the comments above helped clarify that.
Interesting discussion about a subject that most of us kind of take for granted.
Seanhawk
New member
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2009
- Messages
- 6,819
- Reaction score
- 0
HawkGA":3i1s4yhv said:
I don't see how they would. They would only have two eligible receivers and if there was any competitive advantage to that you might actually see it in a game.
We don't see it, presumably, because of the penalty. Or at least we don't see it intentionally because of the penalty. What I'm trying to get at is the rational for the penalty. Let's say it wasn't a penalty, would this somehow advantage the offense to do it? If so, how?
Seanhawk
New member
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2009
- Messages
- 6,819
- Reaction score
- 0
HawkGA":1iqqwzc8 said:
It doesn't have to be a penalty though. In theory, a team could put 8 offensive lineman (they would have ineligible numbers) in the game with two receivers on either side. That would be a legal formation.
Similar threads
Latest posts
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
(Speculation/Mock) Russell Wilson to Raiders in blockbuster mock draft trade
- Latest: SoulfishHawk