In Motion Plays

[jazzskins]

I haven't figured out yet why on some plays a player can go in motion and the QB can snap the ball while the player is running. On other plays the player has to be set or there is a penalty.

Why is that? I'm sure its something simple that I just haven't taken into account.

Chad

[GSPODS]

NFL rules state only one player can be in motion at the snap, and that one player must be moving parallel to the line of scrimmage. If the player turns to face "upfield", the player must come to a set position for one full second before the snap.

You can find the actual rules here:
http:/www.nfl.com/rules

But who can understand half of that nonsense?

[Fios]

NFL rules state only one player can be in motion at the snap, and that one player must be moving parallel to the line of scrimmage. If the player turns to face "upfield", the player must come to a set position for one full second before the snap.

You can find the actual rules here:
http:/www.nfl.com/rules

But who can understand half of that nonsense?

Certainly not the refs

[GSPODS]

NFL rules state only one player can be in motion at the snap, and that one player must be moving parallel to the line of scrimmage. If the player turns to face "upfield", the player must come to a set position for one full second before the snap.

You can find the actual rules here:
http:/www.nfl.com/rules

But who can understand half of that nonsense?

Certainly not the refs

Obviously. Has anyone seen New England's "multiple linebackers in motion at the goal line" formation?

[Deadskins]

NFL rules state only one player can be in motion at the snap, and that one player must be moving parallel to the line of scrimmage. If the player turns to face "upfield", the player must come to a set position for one full second before the snap.

You can find the actual rules here:
http:/www.nfl.com/rules

But who can understand half of that nonsense?

Certainly not the refs

Obviously. Has anyone seen New England's "multiple linebackers in motion at the goal line" formation?

Linebackers? Defenders don't have to be set before the play.

[GSPODS]

NFL rules state only one player can be in motion at the snap, and that one player must be moving parallel to the line of scrimmage. If the player turns to face "upfield", the player must come to a set position for one full second before the snap.

You can find the actual rules here:
http:/www.nfl.com/rules

But who can understand half of that nonsense?

Certainly not the refs

Obviously. Has anyone seen New England's "multiple linebackers in motion at the goal line" formation?

Linebackers? Defenders don't have to be set before the play.

New England uses two linebackers on most of their offensive goal line snaps, Vrabel and one other linebacker that changes every down.

[welch]

...and, I believe, the OL has to be set for (a full second?). The intention is that a back -- and originally there were always four players in the "backfield" -- could run parallel to the LOS, but only one at a time, and never moving toward the line. Of course, that's different in the CFL.

One of Joe G's distinctive traits has always been that he has players go in motion every which way...one after the other. Relatively few plays, so the team can practice and run them to perfection, but run from infinite formations.

In fact, I recently re-watched the game tape SB 22 and I'm pretty sure that one of the long TD passes came after the OL did a double pull, just like the beginning of counter-trey. Difference was that Timmy Smith dove into the line while Doug Williams stepped back with the ball, and then hit Sanders (or Clark?) with a long TD.

[VetSkinsFan]

Also, if there's multiple people in 'motion' it's called a 'shift' and they they have to 'set' before the play kicks off or it's illegal motion/shift.

[butzadams]

Redskins THEORY behind SHIFTS, & MOTIONS:

ON “MOVEMENT”

MOVEMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR TOTAL OFFENSIVE SYSTEM.
THERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS FOR MOVEMENT IN OUR OFFENSE; AMONG
THE MOST PROMINENT REASONS ARE:

1. To create a personnel advantage by creating mis-matches on our Receivers or Backs.
2. To create a personnel advantage by effecting changes in run support and force responsibilities.
3. To create secondary movement in an effort to better enable our Quarterback to recognize coverage.
4. To get our personnel in better position to execute their given assignment.
5. To create problems for the defense in Man under coverages when attempting to hold or bump Receivers at the line of scrimmage.
6. To create an opportunity for indecision, confusion, and/or mis-alignment by the secondary.
7. To cause movement on the part of the Defense in an effort to realign their personnel with the coverage calls and changes and not allow them to set themselves and react to familiar offensive patterns. Make the Defense “play on the move”.
8. To force opponents to spend practice time and effort on adjusting to movement patterns rather than improving defensive skills and schemes.
9. To create a visual complexity to the defense, yet be able to run the same basic plays from a variety of looks.

PS: Zorn is not as big on this as Joe Gibbs was.