2004 Football Meeting10/6/04

•Games – Tom Frieder

•Where’s the Spot

•Special Rules for PAT

•Goal Line and Short Yardage Plays

•Not Getting Picked?

•Punts – Not Just Another Play

•Some Tips for Working the Wings

Spot, Spot – Where’s the Spot

Where’s The Spot?

A B

Black is going this way

3rddown, Black 32 is tackledA or B

4th down, Black 32 is tackledA or B

Turned over on downs, now is White’s ball

A or B

4th down, black throws incomplete pass. Where does the front of the ball

go?A or B

Onside kick. 40 is R’s free kick line after penalty. Black (K)

touches ball at spot A. You bring in A’s ball and

place the nose of the ball where?

A or B

Spot, Spot – Where’s the Spot

On Change of Possession, Spots Move –

the Ball Doesn’t

On Change of Possession, The Down Box Moves –

the Ball Doesn’t

Discussion?

Special Rules for PAT

PAT Differences• Clock does not run• There is no line to gain• Kicks are dead when “obviously not

successful”• Special penalty enforcements apply• Successful kick is worth 1 point• Successful run or pass is worth 2 points• Only the offense can score

Before the Play• The try is part of the previous series so the same ball

must be used– Except for obvious situations like weather

• Fouls by the defense on the touchdown play may be carried over to the try (but not to the ensuing kickoff)– The try is the “succeeding spot”

• If a touchdown is scored on the final play of a quarter, the try is attempted as part of that quarter – A quarter may not begin with a try– If a touchdown is scored on the last play of regulation, the try is

not attempted unless it has an impact on the outcome of the game

– If a touchdown in overtime determines the outcome of the game, the try is not attempted

• The offense has the choice of position of the ball between hash marks– If there a replay of the try, the offense can change the location– If there is a timeout, the offense can change the location

During the Play

• Fouls during the try may be carried over to the kickoff– Dead ball fouls after the try are enforced on

the kickoff• Ball is dead if B gains possession• If the kicked ball touches a K player

beyond the expanded neutral zone, it is dead– The neutral zone cannot be expanded into the

end zone

Discussion?

Goal Line and Short Yardage Plays

Great Goal Line Coverage• Wings pinch in if there are no wide outs

– Be ready for the play coming at you• Inside the 5 yard line, wings go to the goal line at the

snap and work back• Wings make eye contact before a signal• Umpire should be as tight to the line as possible• Referee should be within 10 yards of the LOS

– Be ready to move back!• Consider using the Back Judge as a second Umpire

– Move up 5 yards. You still have time to cover the end line• Umpire RARELY makes a touchdown signal

– He can still help with a nod of the head to the wings if he’s certain the ball crossed the plane

– Umpire is closest to digging for the ball if its location is unknown. The final decision is still up to the wings

• Hustle and sell the call– If it’s close, wings should be hustling in to sell the call

Short Yardage• Very much like a goal line play

– Wings pinch– Umpire pinches– Referee pinches– Back Judge stays in normal position

• Treat the front stake like the goal line• Make sure the offense (including QB) is set

– They may be in a hurry or try to get a rolling start• Shifts are more likely

– Defensive foul results in a first down so make sure offensive shifts aren’t false starts• Long counts are more likely

– Hard counts are okay – but watch for false start• Head bob, shoulder hunch, thrusting arms at snapper

– Offensive fouls are more likely• Watch for subtle body movement and snap enfractions

• Substitutions– Specialty players may come in

• Make sure subsititutions are legal• Make sure both teams are counted• Be mindful of deception

• Helping the runner– More likely in short yardage situations– Offense can push pile, but not the runner (discussion?)

• Be aware of the stake– Line judge has best view

• Yell “Hold the Spot”– Don’t toss the ball around

• Leave it where it is or get it to the wing

Discussion?

Not Getting Picked?Some Key Reasons Why You May Not Be Getting Those Games

From Referee Magazine

• Not meant to be rude – but realistic

Appearance– Dress sloppily– Uniform not clean and crisp– Flags are too evident

• Tuck them in your pocket• If worn in waist, tape the ball white

– Hat is old, dirty, out of shape– Your whites are gray– Socks are dingy or ragged– Shoes not clean and polished– Hair too long

• Facial hair is generally frowned upon• If you have facial hair, keep it neat and trimmed

Lack of Hustle• Don’t hustle during live ball plays to get into

position– You should usually end up closer to the ball than you

started• Lack of hustle during dead ball period

– Don’t walk when you can jog or run• Especially to free kick position or quarter breaks

– Hustle during ball relay• Overly relaxed during dead ball periods

– Dead ball time is not rest time• Out of shape

Play Coverage• Don’t anticipate

– Field position– Down and distance– Yard line– Score– Time remaining– Defensive and offensive line ups– Tendencies

• Poor Position– At snap and during play

• Poor off-ball coverage– Know your mop-up responsibilities

• Slow reaction to surprises

Running Plays• Slow reaction and catching up to the play• Don’t cover your bubble

– Ball and couple of yards around it– 5 to 10 yards around ball– Mop up

• Poor or no signal at end of play– Clock stop– Crank and stop

• Poor spotting

Passing Plays• Poor read of keys

– Puts you out of position from the start• Lack of thorough passing rule knowledge

– Ineligibles– Pass interference restrictions– Intent of rule

• Both have equal right to the ball

• Back Judge lets players behind him• Umpire doesn’t get to the line of

scrimmage

Miscellaneous• Inefficient during dead ball periods• Poor communication with crew, coaches and

players• Distracted by non-game events

– Geese, crowd– Talking about non-game items during game

• Low test scores– Indicates lack of preparation or interest

• Poor meeting attendance• Cancel too many games• Don’t return phone calls or e-mails• Habitually late

Philosophy• Throw too many flags

– Are you too picky?– Understand philosophy?– Understand advantage gained?– You’re job is not to find penalties, it’s to make sure the game is

played fairly• Poor communication skills

– Talking harshly or rudely to players/coaches– Barking– Making threats– Not talking– Attitude, appearance, demeanor does not instill confidence– Poor or wrong mechanics

Others• Feeling that it’s just a popularity contest• Thinking evaluators or system not fair

– Watch yourself on tape– Discuss your performance with trusted official

• Unwilling to learn or change• Unwilling to be a member of the team

– A crew is a team and you have to fit in

Litmus Test

You Might Have a Problem if

Right now you are feeling that most of this was crap

Punts – Not Just Another Play

Routine• Must be made from in or behind the neutral zone before

team possession has changed• Any receiver may catch or recover and advance• Receivers may not advance after a fair catch signal

(valid or invalid)• Kickers may catch or recover in or behind the neutral

zone and advance• Kickers may catch or recover beyond the neutral zone

but may not advance– May catch if not kick catching interference

• If the punt is touched first by R beyond the line, a new series is award to the team in possession at the end of the down

• If the punt is touched first by K beyond the line, it is a violation for first touching. R may take the ball at the spot unless a subsequent foul by R is accepted

Deviations From Routine

• Blocked Punt• Punter Contacted by Defense• Punt Receiver Contacted by Kickers• Kick first touched by Kickers• Muff - Fumble

Blocked Punts• Blocked punt that is in or behind the

neutral zone is simply a loose ball– Applies if kick went beyond neutral zone and

then came back behind neutral zone– Same as a fumble– Anyone can recover and advance– Kickers must reach the line-to-gain to retain

possession

Contacting the Punter• Roughing the kicker is a 15 yard penalty and an

automatic first down• Running into the kicker is a 5 yard penalty without a first

down– Running into = displacing without roughing

• If the kick is blocked or partially blocked, kicker loses protection

• Incidental contact is not a foul• It is not incidental if the contact is sufficient (displaces)

and could have been avoided regardless of whether or not it was apparent a kick would be made– Kicker does not lose protection because of a bad snap

• Player becomes a kicker once the ball is kicked and continues to be a kicker until he regains his balance and moves to participate in the play

Receiver Contacted• While any scrimmage kick is in flight beyond the

neutral zone, the receiver must be given an unhindered opportunity to catch the kick.

• Violation is a foul with a 15 yard penalty– 15 yards from the previous spot and replay the down– Awarded fair catch at the spot of the foul with no

distance penalty• The right exists whether or not R signals for a fair

catch• K may catch a scrimmage kick (or touch in flight)

if no R players are in a position to catch it (i.e: in the vicinity)

• Physical contact is not necessary for kick catching interference

First Touching• It is first touching if K touches the kick

beyond the neutral zone expanded before R touches it or before it comes to rest– Ball remains alive

• After first touching, R may still recover and advance without giving up the right of taking the ball at the spot of first touching

• It IS NOT first touching if K touches a kick at rest– Ball is dead

Muff - Fumble• A kick begins when the ball is kicked and ends

when the ball is possessed or declared dead• Touching by R in an attempt to block the kick is

ignored• Muff = R touches a scrimmage kick beyond the

neutral zone without gaining possession– R may recover and advance– K may recover but may not advance

• K get new series

• It is impossible to fumble a kick!!!!!• Fumble = Losing possession after gaining

possession• Anyone may recover and anyone may advance

Discussion?

Some Tips for Working the Wings• If possible, rule a substitution infraction rather than illegal participation• Monitor the scoreboard and clock• Head Linesman, give the Referee a “5 will get you 1” signal

– Less than 5 yards to go for first down• Check the tape on the chains

• Line Judge, discreetly inform the Referee as to down and clock status as he faces you giving the signal for a foul• Know what constitutes in bounds and out of bounds

– Landing out of bounds doesn’t necessarily mean the clock should stop• Forward Progress• Down ends in field of play

– When time matters – runner is out of bounds if you aren’t sure• Give the juggle signal when appropriate• It is almost never necessary to give the “catch” signal• Rule of thumb for hit out of bounds

– One foot out of bounds: marginal, probably a “talk-to”– Two feet out of bounds: Usually a foul unless contact is minimal or defense is trying to hold up or avoid contact– Intensity of the hit is a factor in your decision

• On touchdown and short yardage play, pinch in toward the ball to sell the call• When Referee has flag for intentional grounding and you see an eligible in the area, let him know immediately• Coach getting close to a flag? Use the “Would you like to repeat that, coach?” technique• Be mentally prepared for the ball carrier’s last reach at the goal line• Stop the clock on close first down situations, don’t wait for the Referee• Learn the “crank and stop” technique for first downs near the sideline• Don’t drift off the line of scrimmage unless the play calls for it

– Read your keys• On sweeps, let the play get slightly past you• Learn how to square off your corners• Use the room you have on the sideline

– Back up instead of bailing out• Your spot isn’t going to move – keep your eyes on the players• On out of bounds plays, always turn to the pile rather than facing the field

– Use your bean bag if you have to• Be prepared to give or receive an “across the field” spot from your other wing official

– He sometimes has a better view• Run in your spot to about the hash mark

– Further to sell it

Discussion

Stuff Happens!

Stuff Happens – Learn From It

• Any odd plays, lessons learned, questions?