Charles
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Officially Speaking: To Clap or Not To Clap
Charles via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Most Ohio State fans are aware that the OSU quarterback signals for the snap by clapping. This technique is much more effective than shouting, especially when in the shotgun in a hostile environment. Opposing defenses are also very aware of this but have never really done anything about it until this past weekend. Observant fans likely noticed that before some plays, especially early in the game, there were Hawaii defensive players who would clap while OSU was waiting to snap the ball. While it is possible that somehow this was a defensive signal, it was mostly likely done to try and confuse the OSU offense into snapping the ball early or jumping offsides. Since the game several people have asked about this and whether it is legal. Our resident group of officials who have experiences officiating high school, and in one case non-D-I college, football also got into the discussion.
Charles: The relevant rule is Rule 7-5-a which states:
Each of the following (1-5) is a dead ball foul. Officials should blow the whistle and not allow the play to continue. After the ball is ready for play and before the ball is snapped:
1. No player may touch the ball except when moved illegally as in Rule 7-1-3-a-1, nor may any player contact an opponent or in any other way interfere with him.
2. No player may enter the neutral zone causing an offensive lineman to react immediately or commit any other dead-ball offside foul (Rules 2-18-2 and 7-1-2-b-3-Exception)
3. No player shall use words or signals that disconcert opponents when they are preparing to put the ball in play. No player may call defensive signals that simulate the sound or cadence of (or otherwise interfere with) offensive starting signals.
4. Player(s) aligned in a stationary position within one yard of the line of scrimmage may not make quick, abrupt or exaggerated actions that are not part of normal defensive player movement.
5. No player may cross the neutral zone and without making contact continue his charge toward any back.
Part 3 seems to be the main one to apply; specifically the second sentence where it says that no defensive signals may be called that simulates the sound or cadence of the offensive signals. The question is then how to interpret the word “call”, does this just mean vocally or can you call signals in other ways. Part 4 could also potentially be applied if a defensive lineman was doing the clapping as that certainly could be considered a quick or abrupt action that is not part of normal defensive player movement.
Scott: There rules against disconcerting signals, but that is generally reserved for vocalized signals. It would almost certainly not apply to claps unless the official felt it was highly egregious. From a pure rules perspective, I would say that having the defense do that is simply a hazard of using a signal system with claps.
WVa: As someone who takes great pride in knowing the rules and usually applying them correctly, I am honestly surprised that the clapping isn’t some type of disconcertion. In HS it would be an automatic unsportsmanlike foul against the player or players doing it. The HS rules are very clear about it.
At the college level which I know just from talking to friends about them and at times emailing them to find out why there’s such a gap between the two? For me personally I don’t like the ability of a defense to mimic what QBs use for signaling or cadence no matter what they do. I’m sure that if the QB stomped his feet like he was happy and he knew it, then the defense could do the same.
Charles: Scott’s clarification as to how the rules are interpreted in college explains why no penalty was called as the rules interpretation seems limited to vocal signals. As the game went on, Hawaii moved away from the clapping and it didn’t seem to really have an effect on the OSU offense.
The post Officially Speaking: To Clap or Not To Clap appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
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Charles via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Most Ohio State fans are aware that the OSU quarterback signals for the snap by clapping. This technique is much more effective than shouting, especially when in the shotgun in a hostile environment. Opposing defenses are also very aware of this but have never really done anything about it until this past weekend. Observant fans likely noticed that before some plays, especially early in the game, there were Hawaii defensive players who would clap while OSU was waiting to snap the ball. While it is possible that somehow this was a defensive signal, it was mostly likely done to try and confuse the OSU offense into snapping the ball early or jumping offsides. Since the game several people have asked about this and whether it is legal. Our resident group of officials who have experiences officiating high school, and in one case non-D-I college, football also got into the discussion.Charles: The relevant rule is Rule 7-5-a which states:
Each of the following (1-5) is a dead ball foul. Officials should blow the whistle and not allow the play to continue. After the ball is ready for play and before the ball is snapped:
1. No player may touch the ball except when moved illegally as in Rule 7-1-3-a-1, nor may any player contact an opponent or in any other way interfere with him.
2. No player may enter the neutral zone causing an offensive lineman to react immediately or commit any other dead-ball offside foul (Rules 2-18-2 and 7-1-2-b-3-Exception)
3. No player shall use words or signals that disconcert opponents when they are preparing to put the ball in play. No player may call defensive signals that simulate the sound or cadence of (or otherwise interfere with) offensive starting signals.
4. Player(s) aligned in a stationary position within one yard of the line of scrimmage may not make quick, abrupt or exaggerated actions that are not part of normal defensive player movement.
5. No player may cross the neutral zone and without making contact continue his charge toward any back.
Part 3 seems to be the main one to apply; specifically the second sentence where it says that no defensive signals may be called that simulates the sound or cadence of the offensive signals. The question is then how to interpret the word “call”, does this just mean vocally or can you call signals in other ways. Part 4 could also potentially be applied if a defensive lineman was doing the clapping as that certainly could be considered a quick or abrupt action that is not part of normal defensive player movement.
Scott: There rules against disconcerting signals, but that is generally reserved for vocalized signals. It would almost certainly not apply to claps unless the official felt it was highly egregious. From a pure rules perspective, I would say that having the defense do that is simply a hazard of using a signal system with claps.
WVa: As someone who takes great pride in knowing the rules and usually applying them correctly, I am honestly surprised that the clapping isn’t some type of disconcertion. In HS it would be an automatic unsportsmanlike foul against the player or players doing it. The HS rules are very clear about it.
At the college level which I know just from talking to friends about them and at times emailing them to find out why there’s such a gap between the two? For me personally I don’t like the ability of a defense to mimic what QBs use for signaling or cadence no matter what they do. I’m sure that if the QB stomped his feet like he was happy and he knew it, then the defense could do the same.
Charles: Scott’s clarification as to how the rules are interpreted in college explains why no penalty was called as the rules interpretation seems limited to vocal signals. As the game went on, Hawaii moved away from the clapping and it didn’t seem to really have an effect on the OSU offense.
The post Officially Speaking: To Clap or Not To Clap appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...