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For Travis Frederick, snaps are no longer a snap
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
OXNARD, Calif. -- As the Dallas Cowboys prepared for their first play of a two-minute drill on Sunday, Pro Bowl center Travis Frederick did what he normally does.
He checked the defensive front, pointed out the middle linebacker and then surveyed the defense once more, tipping the football up as he did.
He was penalized for a false start.
One of the points of emphasis among NFL officials this season is pre-snap movement of the ball, which simulates a snap.
"A center dropping or turning his head, or a guard tapping the center, is legal provided the movement is not quick or abrupt," the NFL operations manual reads.
Frederick focused on the quick-or-abrupt part and figured he was safe. After the practice, Frederick and offensive line coach Frank Pollack spoke with the officials about the call and how to avoid it in the future.
"I thought it was quick-movement issues, but it turns out it's not," Frederick said. "It really has to do with the angle of the ball. We're fortunate to have the refs come out here and give us those speeches, and then also come out to practice and help explain it to us, because I was unaware what I was doing was wrong."
Frederick has gone through pre-snap movement thousands of times. In his three seasons he has been penalized 11 times, and just twice last season. Four of his 11 penalties have been of the false-start variety. Now he will have to adjust how he goes through his movements before snapping the ball to Tony Romo.
"You can't take your hand off it, because that's illegal procedure as well," Frederick said. "And you can't tip it up, so you'll have to tip it down and keep a fingertip on it so you're still touching the ball. It's going to have to be a learned motion to push the ball down and look up at the same time."
The 6-foot-4, 318-pound Frederick is already fairly limber. Still ...
"I'm going to have to do more stretching, I think," he said.
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
OXNARD, Calif. -- As the Dallas Cowboys prepared for their first play of a two-minute drill on Sunday, Pro Bowl center Travis Frederick did what he normally does.
He checked the defensive front, pointed out the middle linebacker and then surveyed the defense once more, tipping the football up as he did.
He was penalized for a false start.
One of the points of emphasis among NFL officials this season is pre-snap movement of the ball, which simulates a snap.
"A center dropping or turning his head, or a guard tapping the center, is legal provided the movement is not quick or abrupt," the NFL operations manual reads.
Frederick focused on the quick-or-abrupt part and figured he was safe. After the practice, Frederick and offensive line coach Frank Pollack spoke with the officials about the call and how to avoid it in the future.
"I thought it was quick-movement issues, but it turns out it's not," Frederick said. "It really has to do with the angle of the ball. We're fortunate to have the refs come out here and give us those speeches, and then also come out to practice and help explain it to us, because I was unaware what I was doing was wrong."
Frederick has gone through pre-snap movement thousands of times. In his three seasons he has been penalized 11 times, and just twice last season. Four of his 11 penalties have been of the false-start variety. Now he will have to adjust how he goes through his movements before snapping the ball to Tony Romo.
"You can't take your hand off it, because that's illegal procedure as well," Frederick said. "And you can't tip it up, so you'll have to tip it down and keep a fingertip on it so you're still touching the ball. It's going to have to be a learned motion to push the ball down and look up at the same time."
The 6-foot-4, 318-pound Frederick is already fairly limber. Still ...
"I'm going to have to do more stretching, I think," he said.