What does offsides mean?

What does offsides mean?

• A. When a player crosses the line of scrimmage after the ball is snapped
• B. A player is on the wrong side of the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped
• C. When a kicker steps out of the end zone
• D. When a play is reviewable by officials

Answer: (B)

Offsides is about the timing at the snap and being on the correct side of the line of scrimmage. The line of scrimmage is the imaginary line where the ball is placed, and players must stay on their own side until the ball is snapped. If a defender crosses into the opponent’s side or into the neutral zone before the snap, that player is considered offsides. This draw is decided before the ball is snapped and results in a five-yard penalty with the down replayed. So the idea is not about something that happens after the snap, or about stepping out of the end zone, or about whether a play can be reviewed. It’s specifically about being on the wrong side of the line of scrimmage at the moment the ball is snapped.

Offsides is about the timing at the snap and being on the correct side of the line of scrimmage. The line of scrimmage is the imaginary line where the ball is placed, and players must stay on their own side until the ball is snapped. If a defender crosses into the opponent’s side or into the neutral zone before the snap, that player is considered offsides. This draw is decided before the ball is snapped and results in a five-yard penalty with the down replayed.

So the idea is not about something that happens after the snap, or about stepping out of the end zone, or about whether a play can be reviewed. It’s specifically about being on the wrong side of the line of scrimmage at the moment the ball is snapped.