football rules question

[JayJ79]

Can anyone summarize the requirements for an offensive formation to be legal?
I know that there has to be 5 linemen (with numbers in the 50-79 range or whatever),
and there can be no more than 4 players in the backfield.
But I wasn't sure if there were other stipulations (such as if wide receivers had to be on the line-of-scrimmage, or had to be a step back, or whatever. or if there has to be a certain number of players on one side of the ball [left of the center, right of the center, etc]).


and I have to wonder about the logic behind some of those rules. I mean, for most rules/penalties, I can understand the reasoning behind them, either addressing a safety issue or eliminating an unfair advantage. but is there really any playing advantage to having fewer than 7 players on the line of scrimmage or whatever?

Thanks.

[UAalum72]

7 on the line was put in 100 years ago to outlaw plays like the flying wedge (a V-formation of blockers)

[JayJ79]

7 on the line was put in 100 years ago to outlaw plays like the flying wedge (a V-formation of blockers)

okay, that makes sense. thanks

[bench]

But I wasn't sure if there were other stipulations (such as if wide receivers had to be on the line-of-scrimmage, or had to be a step back, or whatever. or if there has to be a certain number of players on one side of the ball [left of the center, right of the center, etc]).

Receivers can be on the line or behind the line, but only the last man on the end line of scrimmage is pass-eligible. If a tight end and wide out are both lined up on the line, the tight end is considered to be "covered up" by the receiver and therefore ineligible. If either one steps off the line they both become eligible. This rule also allows tackle-eligible plays.

As for number of players on either side of the center, if you've ever seen the waterbucket formation on extra points then you know that the center can line up on the end of the line and be pass-eligible. So no, there's no rule about number of players on each side of the center.

[SuperHornet]

I'm not sure if the tackle-eligible rule is still valid in college, but it's definitely been outlawed in the NFL unless the lineman in question reports to the referee before the play. The ref then announces his eligibility to the entire house.

The flying wedge was outlawed because so many people were dying that the President threatened to ban the entire sport.

Apparently, there is now a # of players per side of the ball rule on kickoffs. Georgia got shafted by it today. I believe the intent was to prevent that old shifting deception on onside kicks, but the ref applied that rule Javert-like to screw the Dawgs.

FYI, I really miss the fumblerooski play. Oklahoma used to run that with great success.

[JayJ79]

I can understand the idea behind having a limited number of eligible forward pass receivers. But I think it's dumb that linemen aren't allowed to take handoffs and the like.
Though I suppose it wouldn't be fair for the center to be able to pick up the ball and advance it without first snapping it to the QB (or whatever back).