What is Encroachment in Football?

Last updated on October 27th, 2023 at 05:21 pm

Encroachment is when a defensive player in football crosses past the line of scrimmage and comes in contact with an offensive player before a snap. Encroachment also occurs if the defensive player makes contact with the ball before the snap. When this happens, the referees blow their whistle, call the play a dead ball, and the offense moves up five yards on their current downplay. Referees blow their whistle when this happens to signal the play is over and protect the players on the line who might assume the play is over since the penalty took place.

So, what is the difference between offsides and encroachment in football? What’s the difference between false starts and encroachment? What is an encroachment in flag football? Can encroachment be called on offense, and how many players can move before the snap?

Below we will discuss encroachment and what makes it so unique in the game of football.

Table of Contents

What is the Difference Between Offsides and Encroachment in Football?

Offsides occur when a player is over the line of scrimmage line before a snap. Usually, this occurs when a player is unaware that they are over the line of scrimmage. However, there are times when some players might risk being slightly over the line if they feel that the referee won’t notice, which means they can get to the QB quicker on the snap since they are a bit closer.

An encroachment is when a player passes over the line of scrimmage, they may have originally lined up correctly but jumped over the line for whatever reason. Also, an encroachment occurs when players contact another player on the opposite side, which isn’t required for offside penalties. This type of penalty happens when a defensive player mistakes the QB’s “hike call” and moves quickly before the ball is snapped.

What’s the Difference Between a False Start and Encroachment in Football?

Again as with defensive offsides from a spectator’s perspective, there may be confusion as to what amount to a false start or encroachment during a football game. The difference between the two is a false start is when an offensive player makes any movement before the ball snaps, like an offensive lineman changing positions or moving over the line of scrimmage. Also, encroachment is a standard penalty on a defensive player, while offensive players get called for false starts.

Can an Encroachment Penalty Be on the Offense?

In the NFL, the encroachment penalty is primarily a defensive violation. However, in college football, encroachment is when an offensive player positions themselves over the line of scrimmage after the snapper touches the ball. So in the NFL, it is when a defensive player commits a violation but in NCAA football is when an offensive player commits a violation.

How Many Players Can Move Before the Snap?

There are two scenarios when players can move before the snap. Players can either be in “motion “or “shift “before a snap, and each has different rules regarding how many can move.

A Motion

For a “motion, “only one player (typically a wide receiver or running back)can be in motion, as when a player is in motion, it is assumed that the ball will be snapped while they are still moving, which is legal as long as all other players are set. These players can only move laterally because if they were to move toward the line of scrimmage, referees could call them for illegal motion or offsides.

A Shift

When it comes to a “shift, “an offensive team can shift four or more players before the snap, as this is usually a team-changing formation. However, to avoid an illegal shift, the team must move one player and reset for a full second before the next player moves.

Can the Crowd Atmosphere Create more Penalties?

Even though teams practice plays not to crate penalties during games, they still happen, and one of the reasons is crowd noise. For example, Lumen Field, where the Seattle Seahawks play, is one of the loudest venues in the league. The fans at the stadium pride themselves as the “12th man” since they can create confusion for their opponent due to their noise. With the noise reaching levels that teammates can’t hear each other, penalties, like encroachment, tend to happen more often due to nerves and miscommunication.

Conclusion: What is Encroachment in Football

Pre-snap penalties are the most common penalties in American Football. Encroachment is not the most called penalty in the NFL, but it occasionally happens during games. Often, a quarterback will have gimmicks and schemes to trick a player into crossing the line of scrimmage, like hard counts to convince a player trying to be a step ahead of everyone to cross before they actually “hike the ball.”