In most seasons, false starts are the most frequently occurring fouls and arguably the foul that requires the second least amount of judgment (calling 12 players in the formation doesn’t require much judgment). But every foul requires some degree of discretion before the flag is thrown. For various reasons there are three fouls that seem …
I created a list of words and expressions commonly used by fans, coaches, announcers and sometimes by officials. However, nothing in my list appears in an NFHS or NCAA rulebook. My favorite non-football term is “lateral.” The correct term for what they’re describing is “backward pass.” For NFHS, a backward pass is one thrown with …
Change of possession. Foul in the end zone. Fumble forward and out of bounds. That’s a lot of action on a single play. And it gives a crew a lot to consider. But by slowing down and thinking it through, the officials will come up with the correct solution. As seen in the MechaniGram, B1 …
The umpire is in charge of the line of scrimmage and all the action that takes place in and around it. There are some rules that are of particular importance to the official working that position. Snap infractions. Restrictions on the snapper begin when the ball is ready. The snapper may adjust the ball, but …
When I was a deep official, I would catch flak from my linesman and line judge crewmates. They told me they do most of the work in a game and that I only pay attention when there is a pass or kick. It is true that wing officials are involved in the vast majority of …
I t’s a question all officials hear at some point in their careers. Unfortunately, fans yelling it from the stands are usually unaware the game they are watching isn’t played by the same set of rules they are used to seeing on TV. There are myriad examples of that sort of rules ignorance, but we’ve …
Intentional grounding is likely the rule that requires the most judgment. Any rule that requires an official to determine “intent” is prone to inconsistent enforcement. The varying calls made at the prep level are fueled by the differences in philosophy between NCAA and NFHS rulemakers. The chief difference between the codes is that in an …
What to Say to Whom and When to Say It Assuming a basic knowledge of football rules and mechanics, communication is arguably the greatest single attribute of an official. A coach’s evaluation form without that item is rare. Most coaches will list communication among the top three things they look for in an official. Once …
The Magician’s Oath is to never reveal the secrets of magic to non-magicians. Nonetheless, there are various “tricks” officials can use to call a game properly. Magic can be categorized into about 10 effects and most of them, such as levitation, are of no utility during a football game; however, an official will find some of the effects to …
When thinking of players associated with the kicking game, the usual focus is on those who kick the ball and team R players attempting to catch and return them. However, another participant involved with scrimmage kicks is the holder. The rulebooks define the holder as the player who controls the ball on the ground or …
