Normal Scrimmage Plays

SCFOA – 3 Man Crews

Pre-Snap and the Snap

SCFOA – 3 Man Crews

Officiating Responsibilities Pre-Snap

• Player Count for Offense and Defense
• Ensure Substitutions are Legal
• Formations for Offense
• Jr High Has Restrictions on Motion For Offense
• Jr High Also Had Formation Limitations for Defense
• Watch for Encroachment By Either Team
• Watch for False Starts
• Watch for Illegal Motion and Shifts
• Ensure Snap is Legal

Offensive Formations and Player Numbers

• Offense Has Restrictions on Player Numbers
• Offense Must Have 5 Players on the Line Numbered 50-79
• Eligible Receivers Must Be Numbered 1-49 or 80-99
• Eligible Positions are 4 Backs and 2 Ends
• A Player in an Eligible Position Numbered 50-79 are Not Eligible
• Zero (0) is Not a Valid Number for Offense or Defense
• Player Numbering is Typically Ignored in Jr High Games
• Offense May Not Have More Than 4 Backs
• Offense Must Have at Least 5 Men on the Line
• A Lineman is any A Player Facing His Opponents Goal Line, With Either his Head or Foot Breaking the Plane of the Waist of the Snapper
• A Back is any A Player With No Part of His Body Breaking the Plane of the Nearest Teammate Who is a Lineman. (Exception for QB)
• Jr High Has Additional Restrictions on Offense Formations
• No More Than 2 Players Outside the Tackle on One or Both Sides
• Prior to the Snap, All A Player’s Must Be Momentarily Between the 9 Yard Marks

Offensive Shifts and Motion

• Prior to the Snap and Any Motion In Progress at the Snap, All Offensive (A) Players Must Be Motionless for a Second
• One (1) A Player May Go In Motion Before the Snap, and May Be In Motion at the Snap
• At the Snap the Motion Must Be Parallel to the LOS or Towards A’s End Zone
• Motion Towards B’s End Zone is “Illegal Motion”, Throw Flag at Snap, Allow Play to Continue
• A Shift (2-39) is When, After A Huddle or Taking Set Positions, One or More Offensive Players Move to New Set Positions Before the Snap
• Once a Shift is In Progress, All Players Must Come to a Set Position for a Second Prior to the Snap or a Player Going In Motion
• If a Shift is Started But All Players Don’t Come Set For a Second Prior to the Snap, it is an “Illegal Shift”, Throw Flag at Snap, Allow Play to Continue
• It is a Shift When the Quarterback Bends to Put His Hands Under the Snapper
• QB Should Get Under Center Prior to Signaling a Player to Go in Motion, Warn Team Once if This Occurs, Throw Flag if Repeated

Defensive Formations

• Jr High Has Restrictions on Defense Formations
• Defense Must Have 6 Lineman (Within 1 Yard of LOS)
• Defense Must Have 2 Linebackers 2 Yards Behind Linemen
• Defense Must Have 3 Deep Backs 3 Yards Behind Linebackers
• May Be 3 in a Single Line, or 1 Deep Safety Behind 2 Deep Backs
• Walkaway End
• When Offense Has a Split End, Defense May Drop a Lineman Back With the Linebackers
• This Can Be Done for Split Ends on Both Sides of Formation, Resulting in 4-4 Formation Instead of 6-2
• Goaline Defense
• Defense May Compress Linebackers to 1 Yard Behind Lineman, Deep Backs to 2 Yards Behind Linebackers
• Defensive Stunts – Teams Will Attempt to Confuse Offense By Shifting Linemen and Linebackers Right Before Snap
• Make Sure Shift Results in Valid Formation, Take Walkaway End Into Account

Substitutions

• Between Downs, Any Number of Eligible Substitutes May Replace Players
• Once Notified That They are Substituted For, Replaced Players Have 3 Seconds to Begin to Leave the Field
• No Substitute Who Becomes a Player May Withdraw, and No Player May Withdraw and Return in the Same Dead-ball Interval
• Exceptions – Penalty is Accepted, Dead-Ball Foul Occurs, Charged Timeout, End of Period
• A Substitute Has Not Become a Player Until He Notifies Who He is Replacing, or Assumes a Position in Formation
• Replaced Players Must Depart Field Across Their Team’s Sideline and Go Directly to Their Team Box
• Departing Across Other Teams Sideline, or Either End Line is Illegal Substitution (Dead Ball Foul)
• Replaced Players Still on the Field When the Ball is Snapped, But Not Participating is Illegal Substitution (Foul at the Snap, Allow Play to Continue)
• Substitutes Entering the Field During a Live Ball But Not Participating, is Illegal Substitution (Live Ball Foul, at Spot Entering Field)
• When Counting Offense or Defense Before the Snap, if More Than 11, Throw Flag, Stop Play (Dead Ball Foul for Illegal Substitution)
• If 12 or More Players Participate in the Play, it is Illegal Participation

Snap Infractions, False Starts, and Encroachment

• Snap Infractions – Various Illegal Actions By the Snapper
• In Adjusting Ball for Snap, Rotating it End-For-End, Not Keeping Long Axis of Ball at Right Angles to LOS
• After Touching the Ball, Removing Both Hands From Ball, Making a Motion Which Simulates the Snap
• Encroachment – After Ready For Play
• Breaking the Plane of the Neutral Zone
• Defensive Player Making Contact With Ball or the Snappers Hand or Arms Before End of Snap
• If Players are Lined Up In or Beyond Neutral Zone, Yell at Them to Correct Their Positioning
• If Snap is Immanent, Blow Whistle, Throw Flag
• False Starts
• Any Movement Which Simulates Action at the Snap
• Any Act Clearly Intended to Cause B to Encroach
• Any A Player on the Line Between the Snapper and End (i.e. Guards and Tackles) After Placing Hands on or Near the Ground, Moves Their Hand or Makes a Sudden Movement
• If B Encroaches Due to A’s False Start, Only the False Start is Penalized
• Disconcerting Acts – B Players May Not Attempt to Disrupt A’s Cadence

Head Linesman Presnap Checklist

• Verify Box is Positioned Properly, Proper Down is Shown
• If Scoreboard Clock in Use, Verify Clock is Stopped or Running
• Identify Down and Distance, Line to Gain
• Count Defensive Players, Validate Jr High Formation
• Signal Complete Count With Closed Fist, Arm Outstretched Towards Defense
• Identify Backs and Ends on Your Side
• Signal Position of Widest Player
• On the Line – Closed Fist, Arm Outstretched Parallel to LOS
• In the Backfield – Closed Fist, Arm Outstretched Towards Offense’s Goal Line
• Watch for Encroachment, False Starts, Illegal Shifts
• If Motion Towards Line Judge, Watch Direction of Motion at Snap

Line Judge Presnap Checklist

• Verify Clock Status, Check Time on Clock
• If No Scoreboard Clock, Give 4 Minute Warning When Required
• Identify Down and Distance, Line to Gain
• Count Defensive Players, Validate Jr High Formation
• Signal Complete Count With Closed Fist, Arm Outstretched Towards Defense’s Goal Line
• Identify Backs and Ends on Your Side
• Signal Position of Widest Player
• On the Line – Closed Fist, Arm Outstretched Parallel to LOS
• In the Backfield – Closed Fist, Arm Outstretched Towards Offense’s Goal Line
• Watch for Encroachment, False Starts, Illegal Shifts
• If Motion Towards Head Linesman, Watch Direction of Motion at Snap

Referee Presnap Checklist

• If No Stoppage, Play Clock Should Already Be Running
• Verify Ball is Spotted, Box is Set, and Other Officials are Ready
• If Play Clock was Stopped, Blow Whistle, Give Ready for Play Signal, Start Game Clock if Required, Start 25 Second Play Clock
• Count Offense
• Signal Complete Count With Outstretched Arm, Closed Fist
• Identify Backs and Linemen
• Verify 5 Linemen are Properly Numbered
• With Assistance of Wing Officials Signals, Verify Only 4 Backs
• Watch for False Starts, Illegal Shifts, Snap Infractions
• Call 10 Seconds Left on Play Clock
• Signal 5 Second Countdown By Waving Arm Forward With Each Count

The Snap

• A Snap (2-40) is the Legal Act of Passing or Handing the Ball Backwards From its Position on the Ground
• Begins When the Snapper First Moves the Ball (Other Than Adjustment)
• Quick and Continuous Backwards Motion
• Ball Must Immediately Leave the Snapper’s Hands and Touch the Ground or a Back Before it Touches an A Lineman
• Ends When the Ball Touches the Ground or Any Player
• An Illegal Snap Causes the Ball to Remain Dead
• Referee (Most Likely) Blows Whistle, Throws Flag