Motion

The ordered movement of eligible receivers prior to the snap. Motion can be used to gain mismatches, i.e. physical advantages against specific defensive personnel, e.g. a fast wide receiver defended by a slower linebacker. Another use for motion is to enhance the pre-snap read of the defensive coverage, e.g. motioning a receiver from one side of the formation to the other may help in identifying zone versus man coverage. Generally, if the coverage is man the receiver’s defender will follow him across the formation and if it is zone coverage the defenders will exchange responsibilities by shifting or bumping over.