Football 5-Yard Penalties

Off-side can be called if any of the players crosses the line of scrimmage and enters the neutral zone before the ball is snapped. The off-side penalty can either be against the offensive or the defensive side.Encroachment is a violation where any of the defensive players crosses the neutral zone and touches any player from the offensive side before the ball is snapped. Excessive time out is a penalty where the team calls more than 3 time outs during a half.Delay of the game can be called against the defense but is more commonly committed by the offense. The delay of the game is called if the offensive team doesn't snap the ball within the play clock. For the defensive team, the penalty is called if the referee feels that they do not allow the offensive team to execute the play in time for any reason. A False start is called when the player is caught moving before the ball is snapped. The receivers, quarterbacks and the running backs are referred to as the "players in motion." These players are allowed to move parallel to the line of scrimmage. Aside from them, no other players are allowed to be in motion before the play starts. "Too many men on the field" is called if the players of either of the teams exceed 11 men while the play is alive. Player out of bounds at snap. All eligible players must be on the field at the snap of the ball. Illegal substitution. Any substitution must be made when the ball is not in play. Illegal formation is called if the offensive side does not have 7 players on the line of scrimmage. Illegal use of hands or defensive holding is a penalty called if the defensive player pushes or holds the receiver from the offensive team. Illegal shift is called when a player makes a motion as if the ball is alive if he is just changing his position. Illegal motion is similar to illegal shift except the player continues to move. A five yard penalty is also called if one a player from the offensive team throws the ball pass the line of scrimmage. The penalty is referred to as forward pass thrown from beyond the line of scrimmage. Other 5-yard penalties include: second forward pass behind the line, running into kicker, pass touched by receiver after he has gone out of bounds, invalid fair catch signal, illegal return, and face mask.
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