Question about entire offense standing up after being in stance

[Widescreen]

I've noticed a bunch of teams' offenses go into their stance prior to the snap and then they'll stand up and look at the sideline. Besides looking stupid, why isn't this illegal procedure? Pokie State did it a lot last night.

[Mark_of_Tulsa]

I don't think the C puts his hands on the ball yet, so it doesn't count as the team being set.

Just a guess.

[sanantoniosooner]

Until the linemen put their hands on the ground they have quite a bit of freedom.

A wide stance is illegal procedure.

[proudsoonergal]

Every time the o-line stood up last night, I wondered if Okie State would pull the fake, similiar to the Youtube video of the high school team that ran the "I have the wrong ball" fake. Then I remembered it was Okie State.

[MiccoMacey]

Troy seemed to do it a lot as well.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

I gotcha.

It comes from Rule 7-1, Section 4, subparts B and C.

And I quote...


(b)A shift or movement that simulates the beginning of a play. This includes the snapper who, after assuming a position for the succeeding snap and touching or simulating (hand(s) at or below his knees) touching the ball, moves to another position.

(c)A lineman between the snapper and the player on the end of the line, after having placed a hand(s) on or near the ground (below the knees), moving his hand(s) or making any quick movement, or a lineman other than the snapper wearing number 50 through 79, after having placed a hand(s) on or near the ground (below the knees), moving his hand(s) or making any quick movement.

It's touched upon some more in Article 4 of Rule 7-1 where again the emphasis is on simulating the snap or jerky movements or steps. The only thing I can figure is that the methodical movement is considered a "shift" per definition, and it's usually from a two-point stance where the hand doesn't extend below the knees. Every time I've seen it in the three-point, the hand stays on the ground, the player rocks back on their haunches, and receives the play change, which if defined as a "shift", doesn't constitute a false start by definition because no movement is made to simulate the snap or to jerk the defense offsides.

I think that's it, at least.

[Widescreen]

Interesting. Well, in any case, it looks retarded. Why can't the QB simply get the call from the sideline? Does it really take all 11 guys to read the hand signals?

[sanantoniosooner]

Does it really take all 11 guys to read the hand signals?
Thanks for ruining the punch line.

[Soonerus]

They are brainless automatons who have to rely on brainaic offensive coaches to call the plays for them...that's it....sad....

[Zing]

They are brainless automatons who have to rely on brainaic offensive coaches to call the plays for them...that's it....sad....

It's the same type of stuff I used to see my high school do.

[Soonerus]

Dallas Cowboys used to do it in the 70's and 80's...

[SoonerGrant]

Maybe they are looking at the defensive scheme before they call the play? And Troy did look really stupid doing it, actually, it got really annoying .

[rhombic21]

We've done it at times, except the OL doesn't generally get out of the stance. But everybody else will look over to the sidelines (QB, WR's, RBs, TEs). Wouldn't be surprised to see us do it in a couple road games this year as a way to take pressure off Bradford, in terms of being responsible to audible out of bad plays.