Can someone explain why that offsides on fourth down wasn't a false start on UN_?

[WeAreThePride]

The QB sprints toward the line, how is that not a false start? Meanwhile our D lineman twitches and it's called an offsides?

I call bullshit.

[Hammersmith]

The QB sprints toward the line, how is that not a false start? Meanwhile our D lineman twitches and it's called an offsides?

I call bullshit.

For one thing, the D lineman did a lot more than twitch; he fell forward across the LOS. I think what happened was that multiple UND players (legally)shifted into a new formation, causing the NDSU D to shift in response. As a Bison LB or S shifted, he bumped the D lineman(who was balanced as far forward as he could go) causing him to lose his balance and fall forward.

[EC8CH]

So long as the QB isn't moving forward at the snap, what's the problem?

[scottietohottie]

CFL rules eh.

[SamsRams]

The QB sprints toward the line, how is that not a false start? Meanwhile our D lineman twitches and it's called an offsides?

I call bullshit.

So everytime NDSU shifts it should be a false start?

And if I am remembering correctly it wasn’t the shift that got him to jump it was the cadence

[WeAreThePride]

So everytime NDSU shifts it should be a false start?

And if I am remembering correctly it wasn’t the shift that got him to jump it was the cadence

Is that what I wrote? Damn, my keyboard must be completely messed up.

[Professor Chaos]

It was legal pre-snap motion by the QB. When a player motions forward behind the LOS pre-snap they just need to re-set for 2 seconds I believe before the ball can be snapped or else it's a procedure penalty. It's easy to say when you're not down there in the trenches but when the QB moved from the gun to under center the defense should've known the snap wasn't going to happen for another couple seconds.

[WeAreThePride]

It was legal pre-snap motion by the QB. When a player motions forward behind the LOS pre-snap they just need to re-set for 2 seconds I believe before the ball can be snapped or else it's a procedure penalty. It's easy to say when you're not down there in the trenches but when the QB moved from the gun to under center the defense should've known the snap wasn't going to happen for another couple seconds.

Now that one makes sense. It was just a weird play. I've never seen a QB sprint from shotgun to under center like that. I thought you had to move backward or laterally to initiate a pre-snap motion.

[ByeSonBusiness]

Now that one makes sense. It was just a weird play. I've never seen a QB sprint from shotgun to under center like that. I thought you had to move backward or laterally to initiate a pre-snap motion.

I wasn't watching by that point in the game. But you see teams do the described shift on fourth and short or third and short sometimes.

I think part of it throws the defense off-balance, and either gets them to jump or panic.

[Professor Chaos]

Now that one makes sense. It was just a weird play. I've never seen a QB sprint from shotgun to under center like that. I thought you had to move backward or laterally to initiate a pre-snap motion.

It happens a lot when there's multiple receivers to one side of the field. One receiver will move off the LOS and the other moves up to get back to 7 players on the LOS. Or NDSU does it quite a bit with their TEs where someone like Babicz will initially line up in the backfield and then motion into a 3 point stance on the LOS.

This was unique in how urgently the QB was moving. I don't think there's any rule against that but there is a rule against a QB and Center trying to simulate a snap which can be called as a false start.

Probably need an IndyBison explanation here on whether that kind of quick movement from a QB from the gun to under center has been emphasized with officials under the context of it simulating an imminent snap.

Here's the point in the game when it happened in case anyone wants to see it again: https://youtu.be/-mmu_3xqFyA?t=4782

EDIT: Just noticed in Entz's conversation with the official that the cameras caught right after the call. If you can read lips at all you can see that he shared the same sentiment as the OP in this thread.