Is the line of scrimmage a rule or just a suggestion?

[BlindWhiteHat]

I am watching the National Title game and have watched several bowl games. I have noticed that the line of scrimmage or more specifically the neutral zone seems to be a suggestion and not really a rule as officials don't seem to call it if a player lines up in the neutral zone. Has anyone else noticed this?

[GAHS7462]

I think sometimes the camera angle makes it look that way.

[Tigercannon71]

Ive noticed that too.

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

I think certain teams get away with a lot more than other teams and we as fans usually don't say much about it, for some reason.

[purpleblood1]

I do agree that most of the time that it is the camera angle, but there are times that a player will get away with it until the coach gets in the refs ear about it. We played a team when I was at Urbana that the oline was always lined up in front of the ball, I saw it on tape after tape and so before the game we talked to the officials about it. So on the first play flag flys and they're offsides, next play same thing so they called time out and had to adjust their alignments and it through them off for the whole game. But for the most part it either where you are sitting or the tv angles.