Football Officials,
Training tape for week 8 has been sent out. Focus is blocking below waist and chop blocks.
Round 1 assignments have been sent out let me know if your crew received one, especially if this is your first one.
Next meeting is 10/25/23 at Boogies in Maryville. Food will be provided. Kick is at 6:30.
During the past couple of weeks I have had the opportunity to visit with several football association. I want to thank each of them for the warm reception I received and the great exchange of information and questions we discussed. As I stated in last week’s newsletter, it is through attendance at your local association a great deal of learning takes place which is what is going to lead me into this week’s letter:
PLAY #1: The Kicking Game (6-1-9)
I have received this question several times this year. It involves a untouched free-kick. Rule 6-1-9 states, a free kick shall not be kicked out of bounds between the goal lines untouched inbounds and R does not accept a penalty for kick-catching interference on the same kick as in 6-5-4 has the following choices:
(a) Accept a 5-yard penalty from the previous spot and have K re-kick;
(b) Accept a 5-yard penalty from the succeeding spot;
(c) Put the ball in play at the inbounds spot 25 yards beyond the previous spot; or
(d) decline the penalty and put the ball in play at the inbounds spot.
Comment: On face value this should not be a difficult rule to enforce. However, I have found a number of officials who want to give the receiving team two bites out of the apple!
Answer: The easiest and best way I know to explain this is to give the receiving team the ball at their most advantageous spot, i.e. to the coach/captain, you want the ball here right. Explaining what their options will usually just confuse them which is why we must know this rule.
PLAY #2: Extra Point Try or Field Goal Attempt (4-2-2a Exception 1 & 2)
A play that we do not see very often is the fake extra point or field goal attempt. Because of this we are often times asleep at the switch, meaning we get the call wrong! Rule 4-2-2a Exception 1, tells us the ball becomes dead and the down is ended:
EXCEPTION: (1) The ball remains alive if, at the snap, a place-kick holder with his knee(s) on the ground with a teammate in kicking position catches or recovers the snap while his knee(s) is on the ground and places the ball for a kick, or if he rises to advance, hand, kick, or pass; or (2) The ball remains live if, at the snap, a place-kick holder with his knee(s) on the ground and with a teammate in kicking position rise and catches or recovers an errant snap and immediately returns his knee(s) to the ground and places the ball for a kick, or again rises to advance, hand, kick or pass.
COMMENT: The holder must rise from the ground to flip or pass the ball to a teammate. If he does not the ball becomes dead (4-2-2i, 6-2-2) 4.2.2 SITUATION A).
PLAY #3: POOCH KICK VS. POP-UP KICK (2-24-10, 6-1-11)
We MUST know the difference between a POOCH Kick and a POP-UP Kick and they MUST be recognized immediately upon the kicking of the ball.
A POP-UP kick is illegal (6-1-11) which is described by rule 2-24-10 as; A pop-up kick is a free kick in which the kicker drives the ball immediately into the ground, the ball strikes the ground once and goes into the air in a manner of a ball kicked directly off the tee.
The official(s) covering the kickoff team and the receiving line MUST kill this play immediately when a pop-up kick occurs. These two officials covering the kicking and receiving teams are going to have the best look at the kickoff.
A POOCH-UP kick as we know is a legal kick and is described as a (usually) short kick directed into an open area usually behind the front line receiving team blockers.
PLAY#4: SCRIMMAGE KICK – PUNT (6-2-3)
Sometimes our brains turn to mush when we have a situation in which a scrimmage kick ends up bouncing into or behind the neutral zone. Rule 6-2-3 tells us, Any K player may catch or recover a scrimmage kick while it is in or behind the neutral zone and advance, unless it is during a try.
It does not matter whether the ball has or has not been beyond the neutral zone. There is no need to be quick with your whistle. A good practice would be to make sure the whistle is not in your mouth to help keep you from having an inadvertent whistle.
KICKING MECHANICS:
Most of you are now following the suggested mechanics changes for covering a free-kick. A small number of crews are still reluctant to make the change, but overall the feedback has been very positive. Change is always difficult and recommending crews adopt a different coverage technique after all of these years of officiating the kickoff “old way” had to be hard. Once crew’s were able to observe and see how much easier it was to watch the action during the kickoff they bought into the change.
An area we still seem to struggle with is the on-side kick. There are several reasons for this, but probably the biggest reason is we do not officiate many on-side kicks (a good pregame area to review). When you anticipate an on-side kick use the new recommended 4-official box setup (2-officials on the kicking teams kick line and 2-officials on R’s free-kick line). This gives you a better view of the action watching for touching before the ball has traveled the required 10-yards and for any early blocking by K. Should there be a long kick the referee can cover it and the officials on R’s free-kick line can hustle down the field to help with coverage.
With the use of headsets and knowing the status of the game our coverage setup should not draw any attention to our actions. Remember, our first priority will be to ensure the kicking team’s formation is legal. If the kick is illegal stop the play immediately. Our focus should be to ensure the ball is not touched by K unless R has first touched the ball, or before it has traveled beyond R’s free-kick line. Remember, K cannot block R unless R has initiated contact first. Should K block R into the ball it is ignored (6-1-6). Any K player may recover a free-kick if it has both touched the ground and goes beyond the plane of R’s free-kick line, both requirements must be met and in no particular order. Also, be alert for a fair catch signal by R or kick catching interference by K.
Fair Catch/Blocking: (6-5-1, 2 & 3, 6.5.1 Situation A, 2-16-2h, 1-5)
Officiating a legal fair catch involves not only watching the defense for interference, but to also observe the actions of the receiver (did they give a legal fair catch signal).
Rule 6-5-1 states, “(1) Any receiver may signal for a fair catch while any legal kick is in flight. Any receiver who has given a valid or invalid fair-catch signal is prohibited from blocking until the kick has ended. (2) It is a fair catch and the ball is dead if any receiver gives a valid fair-catch signal, as in Article 1, and he catches a free kick in or beyond the neutral zone to R’s goal line (cannot have a fair catch behind the neutral zone), or a scrimmage kick beyond the neutral zone to R’s goal line. (3) Only the receiver who gives a valid signal is afforded protection. If after a receiver signals, the catch is made by a teammate, it is not a fair catch but the ball becomes dead.”
Why do I bring this up? I observed a receiver who had signaled for a fair catch and then blocked a defensive player from downing a scrimmage kick (the ball ended up rolling into the end zone.
This is a 15-yard PSK penalty (2-16-2h, 1-5).
Mechanics: Make Your Game Run Smoother and the Crew Look Better
This season, I have observed more crews measuring for a first down than I have seen in past several years. Most (not all) fields today are pretty well marked which should keep us from having to stop the flow of a game in order to measure for a first down. Let me make this suggestion. If the umpire would simply place the ball at the beginning (yardline) of the direction the offensive team is going the crew would be able to quickly recognize if the line-to-gain had been met. As I often say when instructing a class no one knows what blade of grass (or carpet fiber) the ball became dead on! Yet, I watch officials with their head down looking at their shoes trying to find that exact spot. Go to the spot, put your foot or ball down and keep things moving. When you are between the 20-yard lines move the ball to the nearest yardline. When inside the 20-yard line (red zone), yes you can become a little more precise, but don’t split blades of grass. Should you be fortunate enough to work a state final game (or your trying to get there) I can assure you one of the first things noticed in the press box area is your ball placement (done for statistical purposes!). If you don’t understand this watch a college or NFL game to see how they place the ball for a new series. This only applies to the start for a new series.
Another area is the marking of the out-of-bounds spot on a scrimmage kick (punt). We seem to have lost the art of working together with the covering official and the referee. Quick reminder, obviously the back judge has the receiver. The line judge should break downfield with the snap to help the back judge cover the play. As soon as the ball has crossed the neutral zone the linesman should release to go downfield to help with the coverage. The umpire should turn and observe the players and move slowly towards the action. The referee is left for return coverage towards the goal line, if necessary. Once again, make yourself and the crew look good.
Closing:
Playoff assignments will be coming out shortly. Good luck to all of you in receiving an assignment. I strongly suggest you all use these final two weeks to polish your game and particularly your rule knowledge. Nothing is worse than to receive an assignment and then misapply a rule during your playoff assignment costing a team a win. Sadly, this has happened a number of times the past several years. Start preparing now for your final game(s).
Have a great game this week.
Rick Karhliker
IHSA Head Football Clinician