illegal formation
Improper player alignment
Illegal formation is a penalty in American football called when the offensive team lines up incorrectly before the snap—too few players on the line of scrimmage, an ineligible receiver in an eligible position, or players not set before the ball is snapped.
The violation costs five yards: The touchdown was called back due to an illegal formation.
- penaltyPunishment for wrongdoing
- flagCloth symbol or signal
- footballField sport with goals
- offenseViolation or umbrage
- offensive lineFootball's protective forward squad
defense · lineup · foul · violation · referee · yellow · scrimmage · offsides · encroachment · too many men · huddle · snap · false start · gridiron · whistle · infraction · rule · tackle
- sports infractionsfoul, violation, red card, ejection, disqualification
- football officiatingreferee, penalty flag, yellow flag, false start, offside
- game callsfoul, offsides, offside, traveling, travel
- sports rulesrulebook, violations, volleyball rules, rules, offside
- dirty playcheap shot, cheap shots, dirty play, foul play, late hit
- sports cheatingmatch fixing, doping, point shaving, steroids, cheating
rule compliance in sports
illegal formationproper alignment
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