Motion (football)
Encyclopedia
In gridiron football
, motion refers to the movement of an offensive
player at or prior to the snap
.
Motion occurs when a player is moving at the time of the snap. While different leagues have different rules regarding motion, most mandate that no more than one player may be in motion at the time of the snap, and that only players who start in "back" positions (running backs, fullbacks, quarterbacks, flankers, H-backs, etc.) may be in motion at the snap. Additionally, the NFL (professional), NCAA (college), and NFHSAA (high school) require that they must be moving laterally or backwards, and are not allowed to move towards the line of scrimmage. The Canadian Football League and the Arena Football League allow for motion towards the line of scrimmage.
The National Football League defines all motion and shift penalties as "illegal motion", while the NCAA makes a distinction between an "illegal shift" and "illegal motion"; an illegal shift refers to players shifting and not coming to a complete stop before the snap while illegal motion refers to a player who is in motion towards the line of scrimmage, or a player who is not a "back" in motion. In both leagues, however, the penalty for illegal motion/illegal shift is five yards from the previous spot and replay the down.
Additionally, the offensive team may be charged with the penalty of a "false start" if a player on the offense jumps or moves abruptly, simulating the start of the play. This movement is not normally considered a subset of the "motion" or "shift" rules, as the player is not judged to be moving into a new pre-snap position; they are merely starting the play too soon. This is also a five yard penalty.
relied heavily on these shifting motions. However, rule changes were eventually implemented that prevented offenses like the Notre Dame Box from ever occurring again. The motion rules seen today resulted from these rule changes. Currently, wholesale formation shifts can only occur before the offensive formation is set, and said formation must be in place for at least one second
before a snap or motion can occur.
The purposes of motion are to allow the offense to change formations and, in leagues that allow forward motion, a chance to gain momentum on the defenders.
may be in motion at the time of the snap. Prior to starting the motion, all players on the offensive side must be in a set formation
for a minimum of one second
.
In most versions of American football
, only one player may be in motion at one time, and the player must not move toward the line of scrimmage in his motion (in other words, he can only move laterally or backward). In no situation may the moving player begin on the line of scrimmage when he moves (in other words, offensive linemen are prohibited from motion prior to the snap).
Exceptions are as follows:
In leagues that allow forward motion, the moving player(s) cannot cross the line of scrimmage, or else it is a false start.
Gridiron football
Gridiron football , sometimes known as North American football, is an umbrella term for related codes of football primarily played in the United States and Canada. The predominant forms of gridiron football are American football and Canadian football...
, motion refers to the movement of an offensive
Offense (sports)
In sports, offense or offence , also known as attack, is the action of attacking or engaging an opposing team with the objective of scoring points or goals...
player at or prior to the snap
Snap (football)
A snap starts each American football and Canadian football play from scrimmage.-Action:...
.
Motion and shift
There is a distinction drawn between a shift and motion in football. A shift occurs when one or more players changes their position on the offensive side of the ball before the snap, causing a change in formation. For example, players may line up initially in an I-formation and then shift the two running backs into wide receiver positions to put the offense in a spread formation. A team may shift any number of players into new positions, so long as they all come to a complete stop for a full second before the ball is snapped to start the play.Motion occurs when a player is moving at the time of the snap. While different leagues have different rules regarding motion, most mandate that no more than one player may be in motion at the time of the snap, and that only players who start in "back" positions (running backs, fullbacks, quarterbacks, flankers, H-backs, etc.) may be in motion at the snap. Additionally, the NFL (professional), NCAA (college), and NFHSAA (high school) require that they must be moving laterally or backwards, and are not allowed to move towards the line of scrimmage. The Canadian Football League and the Arena Football League allow for motion towards the line of scrimmage.
The National Football League defines all motion and shift penalties as "illegal motion", while the NCAA makes a distinction between an "illegal shift" and "illegal motion"; an illegal shift refers to players shifting and not coming to a complete stop before the snap while illegal motion refers to a player who is in motion towards the line of scrimmage, or a player who is not a "back" in motion. In both leagues, however, the penalty for illegal motion/illegal shift is five yards from the previous spot and replay the down.
Additionally, the offensive team may be charged with the penalty of a "false start" if a player on the offense jumps or moves abruptly, simulating the start of the play. This movement is not normally considered a subset of the "motion" or "shift" rules, as the player is not judged to be moving into a new pre-snap position; they are merely starting the play too soon. This is also a five yard penalty.
History and purpose
In the earliest days of American football, offenses were allowed to shift and assemble themselves as much as they wanted, much as defenses do. The famous Notre Dame BoxNotre Dame Box
The Notre Dame Box was a variation of the single-wing formation used in American football, with great success by Notre Dame in college football and the Green Bay Packers of the 1920s and 1930s in the NFL...
relied heavily on these shifting motions. However, rule changes were eventually implemented that prevented offenses like the Notre Dame Box from ever occurring again. The motion rules seen today resulted from these rule changes. Currently, wholesale formation shifts can only occur before the offensive formation is set, and said formation must be in place for at least one second
Second
The second is a unit of measurement of time, and is the International System of Units base unit of time. It may be measured using a clock....
before a snap or motion can occur.
The purposes of motion are to allow the offense to change formations and, in leagues that allow forward motion, a chance to gain momentum on the defenders.
Requirements
In all forms of football, only players in the backfield and not on the line of scrimmageLine of scrimmage
In American and Canadian football a line of scrimmage is an imaginary transverse line beyond which a team cannot cross until the next play has begun...
may be in motion at the time of the snap. Prior to starting the motion, all players on the offensive side must be in a set formation
Formation (American football)
A formation in American football refers to the position players line up in before the start of a down. There are both offensive and defensive formations and there are many formations in both categories.-Offense:...
for a minimum of one second
Second
The second is a unit of measurement of time, and is the International System of Units base unit of time. It may be measured using a clock....
.
In most versions of American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, only one player may be in motion at one time, and the player must not move toward the line of scrimmage in his motion (in other words, he can only move laterally or backward). In no situation may the moving player begin on the line of scrimmage when he moves (in other words, offensive linemen are prohibited from motion prior to the snap).
Exceptions are as follows:
- Pro BowlPro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
: Motion is prohibited. - XFLXFLThe XFL was a professional American football league that played for one season in 2001. The league was founded by Vince McMahon, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of WWE...
, WFLWorld Football LeagueThe World Football League was a short-lived gridiron football league that played in 1974 and part of 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The...
, Arena Football League and most other indoor football leagues: One player in motion is allowed; he can move toward the line of scrimmage only if he is outside the offensive tackles. - AIFA: Two players in motion are allowed, both can move toward the line of scrimmage outside the tackles.
- Canadian footballCanadian footballCanadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
: All backfield players are allowed to move toward the line of scrimmage at the snap, regardless of their horizontal position.
In leagues that allow forward motion, the moving player(s) cannot cross the line of scrimmage, or else it is a false start.