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Q:  A team has scored a touchdown, and is now preparing for a try. The holder is in a crouch (with neither knee on the ground). Sometimes the team would just kick the PAT, and other times the (apparent) holder would flip the ball to the (apparent) kicker and the kicker would run or pass for a two point conversion. I have two issues/questions about this.

2. If the team runs this as a trick play, and both knees are off the ground at the snap, then technically they are not in a scrimmage kick formation (2-14-2a), and therefore, should the numbering exception not apply for a snapper whose number, let's say, is 32?

A:  It isn’t illegal to kick with the holder not having at least one knee on the ground. In the case of an errant snap, he can rise and then go down, either to a knee or not. With his knees off the ground, he can take the snap and then rise to run, pass the ball to the kicker or rise and pass the ball to another teammate.  However, by not having a knee on the ground, the team does not meet the definition of a scrimmage kick formation and thus cannot use the numbering exception. Also note that even with no knee on the ground, the player is still a holder and may not be roughed.