American Football Rules - Downs Box - question

H165 · #1 09-25-2022, 07:07 PM

American Football:

Looking for the rule governing this situation:

Is it legal to start a play BEFORE the downs box is in place at the line of scrimmage?

Gitfiddlemann · #2 09-26-2022, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Is it legal to start a play BEFORE the downs box is in place at the line of scrimmage?

Not a rules expert, but I would have to think that it is absolutely legal to do so. The ultimate arbiter is the game clock and the referee. Once the game clock starts back up, and it wouldn't unless the ball is officially in its new place, it's all systems go.
It must be rare for the downs box to lag behind, but in the event that it does, it's someone's job to know where things should be in this regard. Probably the Head Linesman.

mr. beaumont · #3 09-26-2022, 12:04 PM

I would say yes. There's lots of situations where a team may need to get a play off as fast as possible, even if just to spike the ball to stop the clock...I've heard of a delay of game penalty, but I've never seen an "acceleration" of the game penalty.

Bob from Brooklyn · #4 09-26-2022, 12:27 PM

I would think that the ref and his whistle decide when you can start

RP · #5 09-26-2022, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob from Brooklyn

I would think that the ref and his whistle decide when you can start

I agree....

warfrat73 · #6 09-26-2022, 06:32 PM

The referee is supposed to hold up play until they are set as part of the chain gang. Occasionally human error results in them snapping the ball before it's set.

H165 · #7 09-26-2022, 10:03 PM

Quote:

It must be rare for the downs box to lag behind, but in the event that it does, it's someone's job to know where things should be in this regard. Probably the Head Linesman.

LOL - I work on a chain gang, on the Box. This question was asked of the HL by a head coach during a game. Answer was "I do not know the exact rule interpretation on this question". The white-hat made the decision (legal play), but I'm not convinced he knew the rule himself.

The question came up because, for the first time in 20 years on the Box, I did not "beat the snap". As mentioned above, it was a clock-stopping play (immediately after a 65 yard gain). The ball was snapped at about the time the HL indicated the down (that's when, or just after, I start to move). I was probably 30 yards away at the snap. The clock-stopping play was immediately followed by a zero-time hail-Mary pass-and-catch for the game-winning-from-behind TD, thus the question.