Football Meeting 8/16/2006

1. Football Meeting8/16/2006

2. Attendance

3. Crews – Need Open Dates Now • M&O conference and several schools up north are scrambling due to some scheduling changes. I need your open dates tonight!

4. Get Some Air on the Whistle • Whistle and stop the clock • Whistle, crank and stop • Whistle and incomplete

5. New Rules to Review • 1-3-5b: The official line-to-gain and down indicators shall be operated approximately 6 feet outside the sideline, where facilities permit. • 1-5-1a: At least a four-snap chin strap shall be required to secure the helmet. This may be a concern at the lower levels – this is a safety rule – ignore it only if you’re willing to bet the house. • 1-5-1i: Mouth guards shall be of any readily visible color, other than white or clear. Another issue for the lower levels – another safety equipment rule – another house better. • 1-6-2: Phones and headsets are permitted for use by anyone during a authorized sideline time-out. • 2-6-2a: An authorized sideline time-out shall be held directly in front of the team box and within the 9-yard mark. These are connected. Any number of people can participate in a sideline conference – and any of them may use phones or headsets. • 2-29, 3-7-6, 9-6-4a: The language and definition of participation and substitution have been revised. This is a clarification – doesn’t really change much. Clarifies that a sub coming onto the field – but not participating – is a substitution infraction with a 5-yard penalty from the succeeding spot. • 2-31-8: A definition has been added to define when a runner becomes a kicker. A kicker isn’t a kicker until he actually kicks the ball. Is consistent with the old interpretation, just puts it into words. • 2-40: The word “intentional” has been removed from the spearing rule. • 4-2-2: A holder may now recover a snap and retain the same options of going back to a knee for the kick, advance, pass or running the ball. Later discussion • 7-2-8: The option to use a “planned loose ball” has been removed. Lineman can get handoff after he turns to face own goal line. The “planned loose ball” restriction applies only to lineman – you can still do that if a back picks up the ball. • 7-5-10, 13: The act of illegally touching the ball by an ineligible player carries the same penalty whether the act occurs behind, in or beyond the line of scrimmage – it is now illegal touching! 5-yards and loss of down.

6. New Rules – Points of Emphasis • Concussions – more for coaches, but we can help with the next one: • Spearing and Illegal Helmet Contact • Spearing doesn’t have to be intentional. They want us to call this and rule on the side of safety • Officials Professionalism • We’ve talked about that here for a few years. Read up on it in the rule book. • Goal Line and End Zone Calls • This is where it counts. We’ll talk about this later.

7. 2005 Changes • 9-yard marks • Players have to be within 9-yard marks after the ready for play and before the snap • Do not extend a period for a foul that carries a loss of down penalty • No more “illegal procedure” • It’s illegal formation, illegal shift, illegal motion • Only one forward pass during a down • No pass interference away from the ball • Momentum exception now includes all loose balls

8. Holder Rule • Don’t read too much into this. • It allows the holder to rise to catch a snap that has bounced in front of him. • The NOTE still says he can’t return to a knee after recovering a muffed or fumbled snap. • DEMONSTRATION • Helps if you’ve seen it

9. New Signals Mechanics • There are six of them – do you know them? • Back judge will always take the widest receiver to the strong side. • Scoring kicks – wingman facing the holder goes under the uprights. Having done this in a scrimmage, it’s confusing. You have to know if the kicker is right or left footed. Remember – if he’s right, you’re left (wing from offense’s left side goes). • Order of signals following 4th down, dead ball foul changed. Signal first down direction first, then dead ball, then foul signal. If there are live ball fouls – handle those first – then do that procedure. • For sideline interference (two hands behind back) or illegal forward pass or illegal handling (one hand behind back) – face the press box. • Bean bags can be either blue or white – blue ones disappear in the grass! • Added guidelines for using field mike • Signals are still used, including preliminary • Use normal voice, don’t shout • Short phrases • Holding -- Offense -- 10 yards penaly - from (previous spot, end of run, etc) -- repeat (down) • Turn off mike • Hint some mikes take a second or two to turn on • Don’t announce number

10. Lightning • Hold up story • How would you like to be this crew? • Though they did nothing wrong, they still have to live with it. • Lightning Guidelines – Rule of 30 • Flash to bang count used to be 10 seconds. Then it was 15. Now it’s 30. See the flash, start counting. If less than 30, halt the game. • Evacuate field – including yourselves • Stay away from each other – record everything • Wait at least 30 minutes after each flash or bang. • Cover in your pregame with AD and coaches. • Ignore if you’re willing to bet your house • 22 players at $3 million each = $66 million • The lives of the kids is on your shoulders • Technically, only the referee can stop a game. On our crew, anyone can stop the game for lightning. • It is white hat’s responsibility, but the others will probably be named too. So 66 million divided by 5 – that’s only 13.2 million each.

11. Hydration • Study of Southeastern Conference officials • Loss of 2% of body weight results in impaired cognitive thinking skills and decision making • 2% for me is only 3 pounds • I usually loose 3 to 5 pounds in a game • Officials drank an average of 17.65 ounces per game and still lost an average of 3.35 pounds – they didn’t drink enough • Worse if you come into the game not hydrated • Conclusion – get water every chance you get • Take extra water breaks for the players • You’re not on a time clock – protect the players

12. Pylon – Goal Line - Sideline • How many are there on the field? • 12 – six in each end zone • Goal line pylons are your friend because they help you determine touchback/touchdown/out of bounds/safety. • By rule, pylons are out of bounds in the end zone. (4-3-2 and 1-2-4) • Kickoff rolls toward pylon. • A – it touches the left side and rolls out of bounds • Ruling – touchback (it crossed the goal line extended at the sideline) • B – it touches on the right side and rolls into end zone • Ruling – touchback (it entered the end zone) • While going in for a touchdown, A fumbles at the five. • A – ball strikes pylon • Ruling – touchback • B – bounces into end zone and then out of bounds without hitting pylon • touchback • C – rolls out of bounds near the pylon but does not touch it • Out of bounds, A’s ball at that spot • Diving player – this gets more complicated • When a player is touching the ground inbounds, the goal line extends out from the field of play. • If a player is airborne, the goal line does not extend. Instead, The ball is considered out of bounds at the spot where it crossed the plane of the sideline. It is not spotted where it is when the runner first touches the ground out of bounds (4-3-3) (this applies anywhere on the field) • A3 is airborne and he strikes the pylon with the ball • Touchdown • A3 is airborne – the ball passes over the pylon, but his first contact is out of bounds three yards beyond the goal line • Did the ball break the plane of the goal line before it broke the plane of the sideline? Touchdown • If the ball broke the plane of the sideline before it broke the plane of the goal line – out of bounds. • A3 is running and reaches out for the end zone. The ball strikes the pylon. • Touchdown • A3 is running and reaches for the end zone. As he is knocked out of bounds, the ball breaks the goal line extended. • Out of bounds at the spot of the ball where it broke the sideline plane before he hit out of bounds • A3 is running and reaches for the end zone. As he is knocked out of bounds, the ball breaks the goal line plane just before his foot touches out of bounds • Touchdown • A4 is in the end zone. He jumps to catch a pass. Without being touched by a defender, A4 touches a pylon while returning the ground. • Incomplete – the receiver landed out of bounds. (2-28-1)

13. Other end zone plays • B’s end zone is the one it is defending • Offense fumbles into and through B’s EZ • Touchback • Offense fumbles into and through its own EZ • Safety • Offense fumbles into B’s EZ, ball at rest and pushed out by defense • Touchback – force is a factor only from the field of play into the EZ. Fumble put the ball into end zone • A throws backward pass, batted by B through A’s EZ • Safety for B – the pass is the force • Fumble in air tipped by B, goes through B’s EZ • Touchback – tip is not new force • Grounded fumble at rest legally batted by B through its EZ • Safety for A – B forced it into endzone • Grounded fumble at rest legally batted by B into B’s EZ, recovered by B • Safety – the legal bat is the new force • Fumble in air batted by A through B’s EZ • Touchback • Grounded fumble at rest legally batted by A through B’s EZ • Touchback • Scrimmage kick blocked by B through A’s EZ • Safety – kick is the force • Scrimmage kick blocked, ball at rest in field of play, B knocks ball through A’s EZ • Touchback – the force is the contact by B • Scrimmage kick blocked, ball at rest in A’s EZ, B knocks ball through A’s EZ • Safety – force is the kick, force is a factor only from the field of play into EZ • Kick touched by K at 2, rolls into R’s EZ and recovered by R • Touchback as soon as it breaks plane (or spot of first touching) • Kick touched by R at 2, rolls into R’s EZ and recovered by K • Touchback as soon as it breaks the plane • A scrambling in his own EZ, A1 illegally grounds the ball to avoid loss • Safety, intentional grounding with enforcement spot in the EZ. • Same play, but B declines the penalty • Safety, by rule for throwing illegal pass from end zone (8-5-2C)

14. Monona Grove Clinic • Great clinic • We learned from Bill LeMonnier • Big 10 • Arena League • Big bowl experience • USA Football – www.usafootball.com • Adding official’s site with video & animation of case plays • Gene Van Galder • Several state championships • Leading WIAC referee • He was my on-field instructor and I picked up 6 or 7 tips

15. Some Tips • I paid – you get the knowledge • Hurry up offense – umpire must hustle to the sidezone, get ball and run it back to the hash. Don’t wait for relay. • Pregame – need to find out if kicker is right footed. • Referees – on first down – square up to the press box to wind the clock. • Referees – free kick, if you line up in middle of field you are vulnerable to errors. Shade the chain side as the book says. • Discuss – swinging gate to the empty side of field. • Referees – hurry up offense, just a short toot for ready for play to prevent confusing lineman and having them stand up • Umpire – instead of standing over ball to prevent snap – talk with your centers – using the stop sign. • Umpire – punts and pass plays – stay in a crouched position until after punt or pass – keeps you out of the way. • Line judge – if downbox is wrong – give a “turnaround” signal to linesman instead of just giving him the down number. • Every game – decide who your best dead ball official was. • Umpires – you are the primary communicator with players – communicate. • Umpires – penalty enforcement – linesman should be confirming your spot. Don’t put the ball down until you both agree. • Wings – when sprinting down field, try to get set before a play happens. • Don’t complicate the game • Bang bang pass plays – catch, contact, drop. It’s always incomplete – don’t create a fumble. • Momentum exception – hard to tell if it was caught in the field or in the end zone, it’s a TB. • Don’t put ball at half foot line – make it a touchback

16. Future meetings • September 13, 7 pm, County Offices • October 4 – 7 p., County Offices • Do you have something you want to present – or suggestions for a rule or other topic you want to present? Let me know. • Tonight’s notes available on ddaypr.com – click on football crew. • One last exercise – then let’s go home and get ready for a new season of high school football!

17. Throwing the Flag • Straight up • Can throw to offense or defense side to indicate which team fouled • Get the yard line • Don’t have to get the exact spot • You should be close • Throw with authority • A lazy flag is like a lazy whistle • Don’t have to whip it – but make it crisp