Editing Line of scrimmage

{{Short description|Transverse line in American football}}
{{Distinguish|Scrummage}}
[[File:2019 Walk-On's Independence Bowl (6035575).jpg|right|thumb|300px|[[American football]] line of scrimmage, before a play]] 
[[File:Calgary Stampeders training camp 2006.jpg|thumb|A [[Canadian football]] line of scrimmage, before a play.]]
In [[gridiron football]], a '''line of scrimmage''' is an invisible transverse line (across the width of the field) beyond which a team cannot cross until the next play has begun.  Its location is based on the spot where the ball is placed after the end of the most recent play and following the assessment of any [[American football rules#Fouls and their penalties|penalty yards]].

== History ==
The line of scrimmage first came into use in 1880. Developed by [[Walter Camp]] (who introduced many innovations that are part of the modern game of American football), it replaced a contested scrimmage that had descended from the game's [[Rugby football|rugby]] roots. This uncontested line of scrimmage would set into motion many more rules that led to the formation of the modern form of gridiron football (although the [[Burnside rules|Canadian rules]] were developed independently of the American game, despite their similarities).

== Dimensions ==
A line of scrimmage is [[Parallel (geometry)|parallel]] to the goal lines and touches one edge of the ball where it sits on the ground before the [[football snap|snap]]. In American football, the set distance of the line of scrimmage between the offense and defense is {{convert|11|in|cm}}, the length of the ball. In Canadian football, the set distance of the line of scrimmage is {{convert|1|yd|cm}}, more than three times as long as the American line.

Under [[NCAA]], and [[National Federation of State High School Associations|NFHS]] rules, there are two lines of scrimmage at the outset of each play: one that restricts the offense and one that restricts the defense.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2018/8/30/17472556/illegal-formation-shift-rule-ncaa|title=The illegal formation rule is simple. Officiating it is tricky.|last=Kirshner|first=Alex|date=2018-08-30|website=SBNation.com|language=en|access-date=2020-02-28|archive-date=2020-02-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200228235749/https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2018/8/30/17472556/illegal-formation-shift-rule-ncaa|url-status=live}}</ref> The area between the two lines (representing the length of the ball as extended to both sidelines) is called the ''[[Neutral zone (American football)|neutral zone]]''.

== Rules regarding the line of scrimmage ==
* Only the offensive player who snaps the ball (usually the [[center (American football)|center]] or [[long snapper]]) is allowed to have any part of his body in the neutral zone.
* For there to be a legal beginning of a play, at least seven players on the [[offensive team]], including two [[eligible receiver]]s, must be at, on, or within a few inches of their line of scrimmage.
* Beginning in 2019, [[high school football]] will allow as few as five players on a line of scrimmage, but in practice, the limits will remain the same since teams will still be limited to four persons behind the line of scrimmage; the difference would only come into play if a team plays offense with fewer than 11 players.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nfhs.org/articles/40-second-play-clock-postseason-instant-replay-among-football-changes|title=40-Second Play Clock, Postseason Instant Replay Among Football Changes|website=www.nfhs.org|access-date=2023-02-04|archive-date=2021-04-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414013625/https://www.nfhs.org/articles/40-second-play-clock-postseason-instant-replay-among-football-changes/|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Presentation during broadcasts ==
Modern video techniques<ref>[[Sportvision]] [[1st & Ten (graphics system)|1st & Ten]] graphics system.</ref> enable broadcasts of [[American football]] to display a visible line on the screen representing the line of scrimmage.  The line is tapered according to the camera angle and gets occluded by players and other objects as if the line were painted on the field.  The line may represent the line of scrimmage or the minimum distance that the ball must be moved for the offensive team to achieve a [[first down]].

== Misnomers ==
Many fans and commentators refer [[colloquialism|colloquially]] to the entire neutral zone as the "line of scrimmage", although this is technically incorrect.  In the [[NFL]] rulebook, only the defensive-side restraining line is officially considered a line of scrimmage.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Football: Pre-Snap Violations and Rules|url=https://www.ducksters.com/sports/football/pre-snap_violations_rules.php|access-date=2020-02-29|website=www.ducksters.com|archive-date=2020-08-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807190514/https://www.ducksters.com/sports/football/pre-snap_violations_rules.php|url-status=live}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Scrummage]]
* [[Glossary of American football]]
* [[Comparison of Canadian and American football]]

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

{{American football concepts}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Line Of Scrimmage}}
[[Category:American football terminology]]
[[Category:Canadian football terminology]]