Illegal formation penalty question

[Pork Ranger]

I'm watching the re-air of Ark/Au and when we get the first of a long line of illegal formation penalties something caught my eye.

When the penalty is called (8:42 Q1) you have two receivers on the top side of the screen, one lined up behind the other. There are also two blockers in front of the punter.

So, the throw a flag and call illegal formation, not enough players on the line of scrimmage.

Then we rekick because Auburn also had a substitution penalty that play.

We line up and instead of having 2 WRs, we put an additional blocker (now 3) in front of the punter. But it's still the same amount of players on the LOS.

So I'm confused. Both plays had the same amount of players on the line??

Can someone explain?

[Hawg Law 7]

I'm watching the re-air of Ark/Au and when we get the first of a long line of illegal formation penalties something caught my eye.

When the penalty is called (8:42 Q1) you have two receivers on the top side of the screen, one lined up behind the other. There are also two blockers in front of the punter.

So, the throw a flag and call illegal formation, not enough players on the line of scrimmage.

Then we rekick because Auburn also had a substitution penalty that play.

We line up and instead of having 2 WRs, we put an additional blocker (now 3) in front of the punter. But it's still the same amount of players on the LOS.

So I'm confused. Both plays had the same amount of players on the line??

Can someone explain?

That first penalty was a bad call (a couple others were very borderline and rarely get called).  We typically have a 3-man wedge in front of the punter but, like you mentioned, on that play we only had 2.  So on that play, the WR who came in motion became the 4th man behind the LOS, which is completely legal.  It almost seemed as if the official assumed we had 3 men in front of the punter.

[Pork Ranger]

That first penalty was a bad call (a couple others were very borderline and rarely get called).  We typically have a 3-man wedge in front of the punter but, like you mentioned, on that play we only had 2.  So on that play, the WR who came in motion became the 4th man behind the LOS, which is completely legal.  It almost seemed as if the official assumed we had 3 men in front of the punter.

Is that what was happening with the other illegal formation penalties as well?  Surely not.  I haven't made it to those yet

[Hawg Law 7]

Is that what was happening with the other illegal formation penalties as well?  Surely not.  I haven't made it to those yet

No.  On each of the other ones there was one guy who was arguably a foot or so behind the other players on the line.  While that can technically be called an illegal formation, you rarely see it called unless it's very obvious - kind of like when an illegal formation is called due to an OT not being fully on the LOS (which can arguably be called against every OT on every play, but very rarely is).

[Pork Ranger]

No.  On each of the other ones there was one guy who was arguably a foot or so behind the other players on the line.  While that can technically be called an illegal formation, you rarely see it called unless it's very obvious - kind of like when an illegal formation is called due to an OT not being fully on the LOS (which can arguably be called against every OT on every play, but very rarely is).

I just watched the second one and that was total bull stuff ! They lined up the exact same way both times!! Maybe Fountain doesn't deserve everything being thrown at him right now.

I ask you guys to go back and look at these calls. It's total BS

[Hawg Law 7]

I just watched the second one and that was total bull stuff ! They lined up the exact same way both times!! Maybe Fountain doesn't deserve everything being thrown at him right now.

I ask you guys to go back and look at these calls. It's total BS

Yep.  I was yelling at my TV Saturday each time I saw the flag come out that it was not an illegal formation.

And what made the first one even worse is that it was 4th and less than 5, and AU was also called for an illegal substitution on that play.  If the illegal formation penalty wasn't called, AU's penalty would have given us a 1st down.

[Biggus Piggus]

That first penalty was a bad call (a couple others were very borderline and rarely get called).  We typically have a 3-man wedge in front of the punter but, like you mentioned, on that play we only had 2.  So on that play, the WR who came in motion became the 4th man behind the LOS, which is completely legal.  It almost seemed as if the official assumed we had 3 men in front of the punter.

It's as if Gus pointed out something to the refs before the game and they were looking for it.

[jjdlc]

It's as if Gus pointed out something to the refs before the game and they were looking for it.

Something, a ref who decided he was going to be picky, who knows. Pittman didn't like the calls.  Sure didn't look like anything that should have been called.

[Pork Ranger]

It's extremely frustrating going back and seeing again. I had gotten over the blown call at games end and now I'm back at square 1 of being pissed off..

[hawg66]

After the first call just make sure you're at the line of scrimmage

[Pork Ranger]

After the first call just make sure you're at the line of scrimmage

It appeared they were on both of the first two calls. If you go back and watch the second penalty, there isn't any noticeable difference between snap 1 and snap 2

[Hogwild]

I'm watching the re-air of Ark/Au and when we get the first of a long line of illegal formation penalties something caught my eye.

When the penalty is called (8:42 Q1) you have two receivers on the top side of the screen, one lined up behind the other. There are also two blockers in front of the punter.

So, the throw a flag and call illegal formation, not enough players on the line of scrimmage.

Then we rekick because Auburn also had a substitution penalty that play.

We line up and instead of having 2 WRs, we put an additional blocker (now 3) in front of the punter. But it's still the same amount of players on the LOS.

So I'm confused. Both plays had the same amount of players on the line??

Can someone explain?

1st quarter 8:42 mark-

the 2nd player in the formation nearest Auburn's sideline, backed off the line, that's the side the ref who threw the flag was standing

[liljo]

I think in the SEC officiating rulebook, it's an illegal formation if the punting team is Arkansas and they down the kick inside a ranked SEC Conference opponent's 15.

Pretty sure....

[tophawg19]

2 points i'd like to Several teams this year almost have a V formation with the O-line . The Ot's are almost two yards behind the center And this is OK ??
2 On the rugby style punt every one is well Down the field before the kick . How is that not considered illegal man downfield On the penalty all 7 are within 1 Yard of the LOS which is correct . The U of A needs to file a complaint with the NCAA . Go over the SEC

[tophawg19]

After watching the game again , If we ever get this ref again I hope one of our players plants his sorry butt full tilt

[Grunt]

Is that what was happening with the other illegal formation penalties as well?  Surely not.  I haven't made it to those yet

At least one of those formation calls, we clearly had five in the backfield. I saw a still photo.

[HoginClinton]

Sounds like the second half of the 08 Kentucky game, where formations penalties kept the ball in Kentucky's end of the field most of the second half. PS, they came back and won that game.

[Atlhogfan1]

2 points i'd like to Several teams this year almost have a V formation with the O-line . The Ot's are almost two yards behind the center And this is OK ??
2 On the rugby style punt every one is well Down the field before the kick . How is that not considered illegal man downfield On the penalty all 7 are within 1 Yard of the LOS which is correct . The U of A needs to file a complaint with the NCAA . Go over the SEC

The Art Briles V.  The Baylor offensive line was ridiculous with what they were allowed to get away with in relation to where their OTs lined up. 

Ineligible downfield is still missed by NFL and college officials.  The Eagles wouldn't have had near a Super Bowl winning season a few years ago if the rule was enforced correctly. 

[runninrazorback]

It's as if Gus pointed out something to the refs before the game and they were looking for it.

Fairly likely, something that got missed earlier but they saw in film.  Happens.

[dsf]

I'm watching the re-air of Ark/Au and when we get the first of a long line of illegal formation penalties something caught my eye.

When the penalty is called (8:42 Q1) you have two receivers on the top side of the screen, one lined up behind the other. There are also two blockers in front of the punter.

So, the throw a flag and call illegal formation, not enough players on the line of scrimmage.

Then we rekick because Auburn also had a substitution penalty that play.

We line up and instead of having 2 WRs, we put an additional blocker (now 3) in front of the punter. But it's still the same amount of players on the LOS.

So I'm confused. Both plays had the same amount of players on the line??

Can someone explain?

The rule is each lineman must have his helmet parallel to the centers backside...if not, he is in violation.

[gawntrail]

The rule is each lineman must have his helmet parallel to the centers backside...if not, he is in violation.

And our all stand up line makes it harder to line up on his hip.

[Hogwild]

The rule is each lineman must have his helmet parallel to the centers backside...if not, he is in violation.

it wasn't a lineman it was the player (WR) that was 2nd closest to the sideline (opposite from where the motion started)

[ChicoHog]

The Art Briles V.  The Baylor offensive line was ridiculous with what they were allowed to get away with in relation to where their OTs lined up. 

Ineligible downfield is still missed by NFL and college officials.  The Eagles wouldn't have had near a Super Bowl winning season a few years ago if the rule was enforced correctly. 

Malzahn has been getting away with the ineligible man downfield for years.  college rules say 3 yards from LOS.  NFL is one yard.  I'd like to see college change to one yard so then they might call it at 2 or 3 yards.  Now they don't call unless it's 4 or 5 yards.  I remember Saban pointing this out about Auburn in 2013 or 2014. 

[Hawgphat]

Would it be unreasonable to hope that our offensive formation head honcho adjusts our formation alignment to insure that we are not even marginally in jeopardy of incurring a rules infraction by quick-draw, yellow-flag-throwing officials bent upon penalizing and screwing over the Hogs?     

[hawginbigd1]

So I didn't rewatch it, the first one I heard we only had 10 players on the field, so 4 in the backfield means we didn't have enough on the line of scrimmage, another that I saw, we had a guy at your typical tackle position that was 2 yards off so that is easy to call