Officiating Philosophies Miscellaneous

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Officiating Philosophies Miscellaneous
Personal Fouls

• José M. Rebés
• EFAF Officiating Clinic 2008
• Vantaa, Finland

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Miscellaneous1. Side officials dont blow
whistles on plays up the middle.

• Manual of Football Officiating 5.5-5 At the end
  of a down, if you are the COVERING official and
  you are sure the ball is dead, blow your whistle.
  Never be the first official to blow a whistle if
  the ball is not in your zone.
• When the ball dies near to R, U or BJ (in their
  zones) the side officials should normally not
  blow whistles.

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2. Only the covering officials wind the clock on
free kicks.

• It is not necessary for other officials to repeat
  this signal, including the game clock
  responsible. Be concentrate about your
  responsibilities, avoid overtasking you!

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3. No TRY down is necessary if the time for the
game has expired on the touchdown and the team
ahead is ahead by three or more points.

• Rule 8-3-2-a If a touchdown is scored during a
  down in which time in the fourth period expires,
  the try shall not be attempted unless the
  point(s) would affect the outcome of the game.

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4. Only the Head Coach can call a timeout for a
challenge. If the Team is inside the red zone
(25-yard line) a player can call the timeout for
the Head Coach to challenge.

• Rule 12-5-1-b The head coach of either team may
  request that the game be stopped and a play be
  reviewed by challenging the on-field ruling.
• 1. A head coach initiates this challenge by
  taking a team timeout before the ball is next
  legally put in play and informing the referee
  that he is challenging the ruling of the previous
  play.
• But, if the Team is inside the red zone LET A
  PLAYER to call the timeout for the Head Coach to
  challenge.

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5. Do throw a flag for sideline warning. Call
sideline warning at the end of a down without
causing an interruption, but be sure the Head
Coach has had a prior verbal warning.

• Sideline warning is a call for a Game
  Administration Interference foul (Rule 9-1-5).
  Every foul should be called with a flag. Throw
  your flag as high as you consider convenient (it
  will be penalized as a dead ball foul).
• Each official will record the time and period of
  each warning.

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6. 5-yard facemask fouls are rare but if it is a
grasp and then let go, it can be called. When in
question it is a 15-yard foul.

• Rule 9-1-2-s PENALTY Defensive team 5 yards
  for incidental grasping.
• All other facemask fouls 15 yards (first down
  for Team B fouls is not in conflict with other
  rules).
• Incidental Secondary or minor (Collins
  Dictionary). We need to redefine it as to grasp
  and then let go without turn, twist or pull
  (Rule 9-1-2-s penalty).

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7. The ball can be placed on a yard line to begin
the next possession. At all other times, the ball
is placed where it is.

• Exception If the change of possession occurs on
  a 4th down (running or passing play) the ball
  will be left at the dead ball spot to begin the
  next series.

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8. When in doubt on passer pass/fumble, we will
rule it as pass.

• Rule 2-19-2-c When in question, the ball is
  passed during an attempted forward pass.
• When in doubt about of if there was an attempted
  forward pass we will rule it as pass.

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9. Teams must be kept between the numbers, the
sidelines and the 25-yard lines during charged
timeouts.

• The intent is to set a limit on how far coaches
  can come on to the field if they want to talk to
  their team during a team timeout.
• The wing officials will stand next to the
  sideline huddles to get the teams promptly back
  on the field when the Referee signals.

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10. 5/5 axiom In order to adjust the game clock

• when it has been running, there must be more
  than a 5 second differential if there is more
  than 5 minutes remaining in either half. Any time
  lost due to the clock being started erroneously,
  such as when a dead ball foul is called, the
  clock must be adjusted.

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11. If you think it is a foul, it is NOT, except
against the passer.

• If you know it is a foul, it IS.
• Rule 2-27-5 The passer is the player who throws
  a legal forward pass. He is a passer from the
  time he releases the ball until it is complete,
  incomplete or intercepted or he moves to
  participate in the play (A.R. 10-2-2-XXXIII).
• The passer is a defenseless player who is
  vulnerable to injury and must be fully protected
  (A.R. 9-1-2- XXVIII).
• The passer who is in the act of throwing the
  ball, or who has not had a reasonable length of
  time to participate in the play again after
  releasing the ball (Rulebook, Points of Emphasis).

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Personal Fouls1. If action is deemed to be
fighting, then the player must be disqualified.
When in doubt of such actions, the player is not
fighting.

• Fighting is any attempt by a player, coach or
  squad member in uniform to strike an opponent in
  a combative manner unrelated to football (Rule
  2-32-1).

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2. Contact with the helmet in an attempt to
punish is always a foul whether by offense or
defense.

• The helmet is for the protection of the player.

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3. For late hits away from the ball near the end
of the play, lean towards dead-ball foul rather
than live-ball foul.

• There is no any when in question rule involved.
• Dead ball fouls cannot offset any live ball foul,
  it should be applied separated.

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4. When a player is hit after giving himself up,
a foul is warranted.

• Football Rules, Points Of Emphasis
• The following are situations in which
  defenseless players are susceptible to serious
  injury
• - The player who has relaxed once the ball has
  become dead
• - The player who is obviously out of the play.
• These players are protected by rules that have
  been in place for many years.

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5. Fouls on the runner after the touchdown that
are obviously late must be called.

• Same situation in fact that the previous point.

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6. Spitting on an opponent requires
disqualification.

• Rule 9-2-1, Unsportsmanlike Conduct, Penalty
• Dead-ball foul. 15 yards from the succeeding
  spot. Flagrant offenders, if players or
  substitutes, shall be disqualified.