Eight men on the line of scrimmage?

[HDK]

Quite often it seems to me as if ND lines up with eight men on the line of scrimmage. I thought I could attach a screen shot from Syracuse highlights to show it, but was unable to do so, so I just attached the highlight clip. Pause it at the 4-minute mark. I only see Pyne, Tyree and Thomas off the line. It's pretty close to the same situation at the 7:23 mark as well, although I guess Sherwood at the far left side could be said to be a bit off the line.

Shouldn't that be a penalty? What am I missing here?

 

[NDblitz]

Nope. You can put as many on the line as you want.

 

[HDK]

Nope. You can put as many on the line as you want.

But no more than four off the line..... Thank you.

 

[Kelso86]

Quite often it seems to me as if ND lines up with eight men on the line of scrimmage. I thought I could attach a screen shot from Syracuse highlights to show it, but was unable to do so, so I just attached the highlight clip. Pause it at the 4-minute mark. I only see Pyne, Tyree and Thomas off the line. It's pretty close to the same situation at the 7:23 mark as well, although I guess Sherwood at the far left side could be said to be a bit off the line.

Shouldn't that be a penalty? What am I missing here?

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"Shouldn't that be a penalty? What am I missing here?"

Nope -- the offense can have NO MORE than 4 players in the backfield when the snap goes off. If the offense wants to line up 8-9 on the LOS, more power to them. Now, to throw out of this formation -- if an eligible receiver is "covered up" by an eligible receiver to his outside, and the covered up player goes downfield on a pass attempt, then you can have ineligible receiver downfield.

 

[NDDadx3]

But no more than four off the line..... Thank you.

And only the end man on the line is eligible receiver, ie, you can’t have a receiver covered up so your end has to take a step back and line up if you want your TE eligible, or your TE has to line up a step back off the line

 

[HDK]

And only the end man on the line is eligible receiver, ie, you can’t have a receiver covered up so your end has to take a step back and line up if you want your TE eligible, or your TE has to line up a step back off the line

That much I knew. I just always thought it was a 7/4 split for linemen versus backs.

 

[NDblitz]

I coached against a Double wing team back in the day. They would get into some exotic formations believe it or not. One time they lined up 10 guys on the line of scrimmage with the RB under center. They only had a guard to the left and the other 8 guys to the right. Didn't show it on film. I remember being on the headphones with the DC and we were like "how in the hell do you line up to this?

 

[NDblitz]

That much I knew. I just always thought it was a 7/4 split for linemen versus backs.

The one time I remeber, you are referring to is the TD pass where ND had 8 on the line and had a WR as a wing. With Pyne and a RB in the backfield. So the TE and WR were both eligible. And I believe the backside had a TE as well.

 

[NDblitz]

You can run a great mesh flood route out of that formation. TE's run the mesh. Wing runs a a whee,l RB into the flat. And you get 6 blockers still.

 

[d1042]

Nope. You can put as many on the line as you want.

best alignment to stop the run and pass is the 8-8-8

 

[Patrirish]

I coached against a Double wing team back in the day. They would get into some exotic formations believe it or not. One time they lined up 10 guys on the line of scrimmage with the RB under center. They only had a guard to the left and the other 8 guys to the right. Didn't show it on film. I remember being on the headphones with the DC and we were like "how in the hell do you line up to this?

I believe that college rules require 7 offensive players on the LOS and a maximum of 6 defensive players on the LOS

 

[Patrirish]

Nope. You can put as many on the line as you want.

I think that 6 is the maximum

 

[HDK]

I think that 6 is the maximum

I believe that college rules require 7 offensive players on the LOS and a maximum of 6 defensive players on the LOS

You can definitely have more than six players on the line of scrimmage on defense.

 

[Kelso86]

I believe that college rules require 7 offensive players on the LOS and a maximum of 6 defensive players on the LOS

"I believe that college rules require 7 offensive players on the LOS and a maximum of 6 defensive players on the LOS"

Offense can have NO MORE than 4 players in the backfield (if the offense has 4 players in the backfield, BUT only 6 on the LOS -- their fault, play on!) -- if the defense wants to run 11 across the LOS -- more power to them! Nothing in the rules to prevent it.

 

[d1042]

can the 11th player stand on the sideline until the ball is hiked and then after surveying the field run onto the field and be part of the play? If so does he have to stand behind the field marker where the ball is marked and put in play. Lastly, does he need to be in uniform or can anyone in street clothes be utilized? If he comes off the field during the play, can he ‘tag’ another player to enter the play?

 

[mbd11]

"Shouldn't that be a penalty? What am I missing here?"

Nope -- the offense can have NO MORE than 4 players in the backfield when the snap goes off. If the offense wants to line up 8-9 on the LOS, more power to them. Now, to throw out of this formation -- if an eligible receiver is "covered up" by an eligible receiver to his outside, and the covered up player goes downfield on a pass attempt, then you can have ineligible receiver downfield.

That's what happened on that TD pass to Mayer against Stanford that got called back - one of the other TEs was flagged for ineligible receiver downfield.

 

[NDblitz]

I think that 6 is the maximum

So if a team is playing an over front or an eagle and in press man coverage, in your mind they're in an illegal formation? Do you watch football?

 

[NDDadx3]

Check out the A-11 offense which was soon made illegal in high school and college

A-11 offense - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Patrirish]

You can definitely have more than six players on the line of scrimmage on defense.

Not according to the rule I read

 

[HDK]

Not according to the rule I read

But you know you have seen countless goal line stands or short-yardage situations where there are more than six guys on the line. I just Googled it, and assuming Wikipedia is correct, which I realize is, in fact, an assumption, it says no more than 6 defenders on either side of the snapper.

 

[d1042]

But you know you have seen countless goal line stands or short-yardage situations where there are more than six guys on the line. I just Googled it, and assuming Wikipedia is correct, which I realize is, in fact, an assumption, it says no more than 6 defenders on either side of the snapper.

correct to a maximum 12

 

[Patrirish]

But you know you have seen countless goal line stands or short-yardage situations where there are more than six guys on the line. I just Googled it, and assuming Wikipedia is correct, which I realize is, in fact, an assumption, it says no more than 6 defenders on either side of the snapper.

i believe that PAT’s allow for a different alignment with more than 6 players on the line

 

[NDblitz]

Check out the A-11 offense which was soon made illegal in high school and college

A-11 offense - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Yes I studied it back in the day. It’s old now. And banned.

 

[NDblitz]

The reason it was made illegal I believe had to do with player numbers and place in the formations. They had all eligible numbers except the center because they were in a punt formation. As a result guys could step on and off and hence be "eligible" by number. So they theoretically could get the ball to anyone on the field.

 

[d1042]

Pyne throws for 400 vs Clemson! Blowout ND W.

 

[NDblitz]

Pyne throws for 400 vs Clemson! Blowout ND W.

What does this have to do with the topic there Gomer?

 

[d1042]

What does this have to do with the topic there Gomer?

absolutely nothing! You cracked the code!

 

[NDblitz]

Thanks Private Pyle!

 

[d1042]

Golly!