Encroachment is a penalty that is committed by the defense in football. Prior to the start of every play, the offense takes its position behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive players do the same on their side of the line. When defensive players line up incorrectly and move before the ball is snapped, officials can throw their penalty flags and make an encroachment call.
Encroachment Call
There are seven officials who adjudicate every college and professional football game; other levels, including high school, may use fewer. One of those officials is the head linesman; his job is to determine if any players have violated the line of scrimmage. When a defensive player crosses the line of scrimmage and makes contact with an offensive player before the ball is snapped, the whistle is blown, the penalty flag is thrown and an encroachment call is made.
Officials' Signal
After the call is made, the officials huddle and talk to each other. The head linesman explains to the referee that a particular player left his position prior to the snap and committed an encroachment penalty. The referee then stands apart from the other officials, stands up straight and puts his arms on his hips and points at the offending team. If he has a microphone system -- as is the case in high-level college and professional football -- he will announce the uniform number of the player who was flagged for the penalty.
Loss of Yardage
The defense is penalized 5 yards for committing an encroachment penalty. If the offense needed 5 yards or less to achieve a first down, the encroachment penalty results in a first down. If the encroachment penalty on a third-and-7 play, for example, the ball is moved 5 yards and the next play is third and 2.
Offsides
Offsides is a similar penalty to encroachment. On an offsides call, the defensive player crosses the line of scrimmage but has not yet made contact with a member of the opposing team. In most cases, a penalty flag will be thrown on an offsides play, but the whistle will not be thrown and the play will continue. After the play is over, the offensive captain will have his choice of accepting the penalty or the result of the play. The whistle will blow on an offsides call if the head linesman determines that the defensive player is running unimpeded toward the quarterback and he believes the quarterback would not be able to defend himself.
References
- "NFL Record and Fact Book"; NFL Publishing; 2010
- "Play Football the NFL Way"; Tom Bass; 1991
- "NFL Rule Book 2010"; NFL Publishing; 2010
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