{"id":1223,"date":"2022-07-12T15:00:44","date_gmt":"2022-07-12T19:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aafoa.org\/articles\/when-to-throw-flags-when-not-to-and-when-to-pick-em-up-3\/"},"modified":"2022-07-12T15:00:44","modified_gmt":"2022-07-12T19:00:44","slug":"when-to-throw-flags-when-not-to-and-when-to-pick-em-up-3","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/aafoa.org\/articles\/when-to-throw-flags-when-not-to-and-when-to-pick-em-up-3\/","title":{"rendered":"When to Throw Flags, When Not to (and When to Pick \u2019em Up)\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

T<\/span>he idea of a flag being waved off\u00a0brings to mind an overbearing\u00a0referee trumping the decision of a\u00a0younger crewmate. That has happened\u00a0on occasion but picking up a flag can\u00a0be a prescribed mechanic and it can\u00a0also be smart officiating. That\u2019s not to\u00a0say picking up a flag should be done\u00a0very often, and it certainly is not a\u00a0crutch to compensate for weak officials.\u00a0The risks entail antagonizing a thin-skinned\u00a0official and raising the ire of a\u00a0coach who thought he had a decision\u00a0in his favor. The important thing is to\u00a0get the call right. In addition to picking\u00a0up a flag, getting it right may entail\u00a0throwing a late flag or simply having\u00a0a brief crew discussion that affirms the\u00a0original call.<\/p>\n

For ease of discussion, the\u00a0scenarios in which picking up a\u00a0flag may be prudent are grouped in\u00a0categories based on the circumstances\u00a0that may dictate the wave-off. The first\u00a0group is situations where covering\u00a0officials are not expected to observe\u00a0events outside their coverage area.<\/p>\n

Ineligible receiver downfield\/\u00a0offensive pass interference<\/h2>\n

Whether\u00a0an ineligible simply goes downfield or\u00a0goes downfield beyond the expanded\u00a0neutral zone (NFHS) or more than\u00a0three yards (NCAA) and initiates\u00a0a block against an opponent, a flag\u00a0should be thrown when a forward\u00a0pass is thrown and there is a possibility\u00a0the ball crossed the neutral zone. If it\u00a0is subsequently determined the pass\u00a0did not cross the line, the flag must be\u00a0picked up. Under NFHS rules, a pass\u00a0deflected by a team B player behind\u00a0the line is considered to not have\u00a0crossed the line while in NCAA play\u00a0that applies for a tip by any player.\u00a0Depending on crew size, a specific\u00a0official is responsible for determining\u00a0if a pass crosses the line, and that\u00a0probably won\u2019t be the official who\u00a0observes the possible illegal act.<\/p>\n

Defensive pass interference<\/h2>\n

The\u00a0flag should be picked up if the pass\u00a0was tipped prior to the illegal contact.\u00a0Pass interference restrictions end for all\u00a0players once a team B player touches\u00a0the pass. If a team A player tips the\u00a0ball, restrictions also end for all team B\u00a0players and for eligible team A players.<\/p>\n

Two forward passes<\/h2>\n

An apparent\u00a0second forward pass should be flagged\u00a0and picked up if discussion reveals the\u00a0first pass was ruled backward.<\/p>\n

Illegal participation<\/h2>\n

When a\u00a0player is observed returning inbounds\u00a0(NFHS) or returns inbounds and is\u00a0the first to touch a pass (NCAA), the\u00a0flag should be thrown and picked\u00a0up if discussion reveals the player\u00a0was blocked out of bounds (in NFHS\u00a0the player must have returned\u00a0immediately).<\/p>\n

Delay of game<\/h2>\n

A flag for a delay\u00a0of game foul can be picked up if\u00a0another official had granted a timeout\u00a0before the play clock expired.\u00a0The next group includes acts that\u00a0are highly dependent on the angle of\u00a0view and almost always have multiple\u00a0covering officials. Those crewmates\u00a0must immediately compare notes even\u00a0if both had flags. In order to change\u00a0such a call, differing officials must be\u00a0100 percent sure of what was observed\u00a0or they must be able to point out what\u00a0the calling official did not see. If the\u00a0two officials cannot agree, the original\u00a0call should stand.<\/p>\n

Targeting<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s possible to interpret\u00a0a straight-line view of the engagement\u00a0as head contact (like an eclipse) when\u00a0in reality the contact was at or below\u00a0the shoulders.<\/p>\n

Blindside blocks<\/h2>\n

If open hands\u00a0are used, the blindside block is legal.\u00a0The covering official may be screened\u00a0by the blocker\u2019s back.<\/p>\n

Pass interference<\/h2>\n

There are\u00a0multiple ways for pass interference\u00a0to occur and in many cases, no one\u00a0official can see exactly what transpired,\u00a0including which player initiated the\u00a0contact.\u00a0Another category includes\u00a0situations where one official should\u00a0be able to get the call correct, but for\u00a0a variety of reasons, including not\u00a0seeing the whole play, being in a poor\u00a0position or simply miscounting is\u00a0unable to do so.<\/p>\n

Roughing the kicker<\/h2>\n

If the referee\u00a0calls a roughing foul, but the player\u00a0is blocked into the kicker or the ball\u00a0is tipped by the contacting player, the\u00a0contact is excused. Under NCAA rules,\u00a0the contact is only excused if the block\u00a0was illegal.<\/p>\n

Counting error<\/h2>\n

If a team is flagged\u00a0for too many players in the formation\u00a0and a recount reveals there were only\u00a011 players, the flag must be picked up.\u00a0Likewise, if a belated count indicates\u00a0more than 11 players participated, a\u00a0late flag should be thrown.<\/p>\n

Illegal blocks<\/h2>\n

Officials should not call a foul when they don\u2019t see the whole play. Examples where an official can get a wrong picture of what transpired include blocks in the back where the player abruptly turns on the blocker and blocks below the waist where the initial contact is high and the blocker slides down on the opponent.<\/p>\n

Intentional grounding<\/h2>\n

The final category includes only\u00a0one foul. Intentional grounding should\u00a0only be flagged by the referee and\u00a0only if it is determined the passer was\u00a0under duress (the embodiment of\u00a0intent to conserve yardage).<\/p>\n

Referees\u00a0can rarely make that call without\u00a0assistance because they will not see\u00a0where the ball landed. Other members\u00a0of the crew should immediately\u00a0volunteer information regarding\u00a0whether or not the ball was thrown\u00a0into an area occupied by an eligible\u00a0offensive receiver. When a referee\u00a0believes the passer\u2019s intent was to\u00a0intentionally ground the ball to avoid a\u00a0sack, it should be flagged. If an eligible\u00a0receiver was nearby, the flag can be\u00a0picked up. If the referee does not throw\u00a0his flag and is told the ball went into\u00a0an area not occupied by an eligible\u00a0offensive receiver, it is acceptable to\u00a0throw a late flag.\u00a0The debate over whether it is\u00a0better to pick up a flag is a valid one\u00a0and is subordinate to getting the play\u00a0right. There are times when each is\u00a0appropriate, but in the majority of\u00a0cases, the pick-up is preferable if for\u00a0no other reason than a late flag feeds\u00a0coach paranoia that the officials are\u00a0plotting against that team.<\/p>\n

George Demetriou has been a football\u00a0official since 1968. He lives in Colorado\u00a0Springs, Colo. <\/em><\/p>\n

The post When to Throw Flags, When Not to (and When to Pick \u2019em Up)\u00a0<\/a> appeared first on Referee.com<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The idea of a flag being waved off\u00a0brings to mind an overbearing\u00a0referee trumping the decision of a\u00a0younger crewmate. That has happened\u00a0on occasion but picking up a flag can\u00a0be a prescribed mechanic and it can\u00a0also be smart officiating. That\u2019s not to\u00a0say picking up a flag should be done\u00a0very often, and it certainly is not a\u00a0crutch to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1223","articles","type-articles","status-publish","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aafoa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles\/1223"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aafoa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aafoa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/articles"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/aafoa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles\/1223\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aafoa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aafoa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1223"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aafoa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}