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I was advised early in my career to wait until the snap is imminent. Especially when B makes massive changes (eg preparing for a scrimmage kick), the incoming substitute may not have a specific player with whom to communicate; so trying to determine a consistent moment to decide when to drop the flag could be a challenge. "When the snap is imminent" is about a good a consistent time as any.
After some good discussion about this, I'd like to bring up a couple of points. With the old rule, I know we used to let the defense have until the ball was about to be snapped and then they would get penalized. Looking at the rule now, the players have to leave immideatly. We were given the guidance to give the player time to communicate with the player being replaced. One thing to think of on this that should help everyone. There is one rule that applies to both teams substituting. We need to apply this the same to both sides. There is not a referance to A sub-ing and a differant refferance to B sub-ing. If B gets until the snap is about to happen then shouldn't A. We know for a fact that we can't allow A until the snap is about to happen so that should tell us that we cannot allow B until the snap is about to happen?
Anybody agree with this?
I understand your point but we have to remember there is another foul related to this issue. The offense is not allowed to break the huddle with 12 even if the player goes directly off the field and is off before the ball is snapped. For example, the offense makes a last second substitution. He runs in and informs the player that he is replacing who immediately runs off but at the same time the rest of the offensive team breaks the huddle. We have Illegal Procedure for breaking the huddle with 12 men. That rule does not apply to the defense. We do as some others have mentioned. Fair or not we give the defense a little longer than the offense.
That's a good thought but I'll have to challenge you to show me in the rule book where it says the offense cannot break the huddle with 12 players. If you can do that, then I'll agree that there is a differance.
We have to remember that having 12 on A can be just as deceiving as 12 on B. As soon as the offense lines up and the QB is checking the defensive structure of the play, that 1 extra player on the defense makes a big difference to a QB who is looking for matchups to his WR or even for holes in the middle of the field where he may be looking to throw once the ball is snapped. I say flag it and shut it down when A comes up to the ball and no B player is making an attempt to get off the field.