The penalty for offside in football is 5 yards. A player is offside when he lines up beyond the line of scrimmage or crosses it before the ball is snapped. The offside penalty is synonymous with the encroachment penalty, is commonly used interchangeably and carries the same penalty yardage.
Encroachment
To better understand encroachment, also known as offside, you should first gain an understanding of the neutral zone. The neutral zone is the narrow zone located between the tips of the football when it is lying on the ground prior to the snap. Encroachment occurs when a player, other than the center, lines up or crosses into the neutral zone before the play begins. At the high school and college levels, once a player has crossed into the neutral zone, he cannot avoid a penalty by returning to his side of the zone before the ball is snapped. At the professional level, however, a player is allowed to retreat to his side of the neutral zone before the ball is snapped without incurring a penalty.
False Start
Commonly referred to as offside, the false start penalty is similar to encroachment in the sense that is takes place prior to the beginning of a play. False starts can be committed only by offensive players and occur when a player makes a move that the defense can interpret as the beginning of a play. For instance, an offensive tackle who forgets the snap count and takes a step toward his blocking assignment before the ball is snapped is guilty of a false start. Like encroachment, false starts carry a 5-yard penalty.
Offenders
While every player along the neutral zone can be guilty of encroachment, linemen, tight ends, linebackers and wide receivers are the players most commonly called for the penalty. Common situations that lead to encroachment include mental lapses, injuries or lack of concentration. When an encroachment violation occurs without contact being made, the play is allowed to continue and the penalty is assessed at the play’s completion. If the encroachment violation involves contact with an opposing player, the play is whistled dead and the penalty is assessed right away.
Considerations
While most encroachment violations take place during offensive possessions, it is also possible for encroachment, or offside, to occur on kickoffs. If a player crosses the line from which the ball is kicked prior to ball being kicked, he is guilty of encroachment. On kickoffs, the neutral zone is expanded to cover 10 yards on the receiving team’s side of the ball. Players from the receiving team that cross into this neutral zone are guilty of encroachment. In all situations, encroachment, or offside, carries a 5-yard penalty.
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