Officials,
SAOA news: Final meeting is next Wednesday (10/30/24) at Boogies (2082 Vadalabene Dr, Maryville, IL 62062) with a 6:30 kickoff. Food will be provided. Special Guest will be Honorary SAOA member Pete Schiavone.
The past several weeks I have received several inquiries regarding force, possession and the ball entering the endzone after a receiver has touched or attempted to catch a free or scrimmage kick. We must know the definitions involving force. Section 13 Article 1 … “defines Force as the result of energy exerted by a player which provides movement of the ball. The term force is used only in connection with the goal line and in only one direction, i.e., from the field of play into the end zone. Initial force results from a carry, fumble, kick, pass, or snap. After a fumble, kick or backward pass has been grounded, a new force may result from a bat, an illegal kick or a muff.” Article 2 … states, “Responsibility for forcing the ball from the field of play across a goal line is attributed to the player who carries, snaps, passes, fumbles or kicks the ball unless a new force is applied to either a kick, fumble or backward pass that has been grounded.” Article 3 … states, “The muffing or batting of a pass, kick or fumble in flight is not considered a new force.” Article 4 … states: Force is not a factor: (a) On kicks going into R’s end zone, since these kicks are always a touchback regardless of who supplied the force. (b) When a backward pass or fumble is declared dead in the end zone of the opponent of a player who passed or fumbled, with no player possession.
Here is a play: KO Touchdown
Play #1:
A play that I have received numerous questions about involves Starting and Stopping the Game Clock particularly with two minutes or less on the game clock. Rule 3-4-7 states, “When a foul is committed with less than two minutes remaining in either half, the offended team will have the option to start the game clock on the snap.” Not only do officials struggle with getting this situation correct, but coaches also have trouble understanding it as well. Which means we need to be able to explain it clearly to them. The case book provides us with a play that helps us understand some variables to this play in 3.4.7 Situation C. The play reads, “With less than a minute remaining in the game, Team B trails 21-20. B1 commits a holding foul during the down. Following the play, A2 commits an unsportsmanlike conduct foul.
Ruling:
The fouls are administered separately and in the order of occurrence.
In addition, Team A is given the choice of starting the game clock on the snap, If Team A declines to start the game clock on the snap. Team B is then given the option of starting the game clock on the snap.
With Team B trailing, Team B will likely choose to start the game clock on the snap. (10-1-3).
Play #2:
It is K’s ball fourth and 12 at K’S 10-yard line. Punter K2 is standing on his own goal line when he receives the snap. His punt is high, but short. R29 comes running up and signals for a fair catch at K’s 35-yard line. Immediately after making the catch, R29 is tackled by gunner K18 who apparently did not see or did not care and R29 loses possession of the ball. The contact by K18 was made with a wrapping motion. The loose ball is recovered by K47 who had begun to advance up field until when the Back judge immediately sounds his whistle killing the play.
At the snap both the Head Linesman and Line Judge had flags for an illegal formation (5 players in the backfield) while the Back Judge had a flag at the K35-yard line where K18 contacted R29 causing R29 to lose possession of the ball. How do we go about sorting out this mess?
Ruling:
R will probably decline the live-ball illegal formation foul to keep the ball. They can be awarded a fair catch at K’s 35-yard line then accept the 15-yard penalty at K’s 35-yard line making it first and 10 from K’s 20-yard line or having the penalty assessed half the distance from K’s 10-yard line and have K re-kick.
Play #3:
During the first possession of overtime (the ball is set at the 10-yard line going in (1st /G), Team A11 fumbles at the 1-yard line and the ball rolls into the end zone. B37 kicks the ball from the end zone across the end line. What is the result of the play?
Ruling:
This is a foul beyond the line of scrimmage by B. Rule 10-4-6 states, “The basic spot is the end of the run or related run for: (a) A foul by B when the run or related run ends beyond the line of scrimmage. Enforcement will be half the distance to the goal line from A’s 1-yard line, replay 1st down.
Case book 10.4.6 Situations A & B are good case plays to become familiar with as they are not that unusual, and you/your crew could experience this type of play in one of your games.
The following is taken from the November edition of Referee magazine regarding use of the whistle.
A play ends and three or four whistles sound. If an onlooker did not know better, they might think they were at a tryout camp for drum majors or majorettes.
When a runner is ruled down or out of bounds, or a pass falls incomplete, only the covering official with the best look at the play should blow the whistle. But that does not always happen. Sometimes crew members who are not directly involved in the play echo the main whistle.
An official blowing the whistle when the play is in another official’s coverage area is ball-watching. That means players who should be observed are not.
Ball watching also increases the chances of premature whistles when, for example, the ball is loose before the runner is down or before a punt receiver who has signaled for a fair catch has firm control of the ball. It is hard to think of a greater nightmare for an official than an inadvertent whistle, which may cost a team a rightful possession of the ball and cost the crew its credibility.
From the first day on the job, officials are told to “see leather” before blowing their whistle. Even then we sometimes guess, such as when there is scrum on a run up the middle and the ball is obscured by 10 or more bodies. On that kind of play, however, the odds of an early whistle are magnified if the umpire, referee, linesman and line judge all blow their whistles to signify the end of the play. The referee and umpire should stay out of it as they are in no position to rule on forward progress. As to the other two, one will likely be better positioned to see leather depending on how the runner is carrying the ball and only that official should handle the whistle duties.
In sum, we need a whistle at the end of plays – when we know the play has ended. And it needs to be a blast. But we only need one whistle, the calling official’s not “me too” whistle from crew mates.
Closing:
On behalf of the schools, coaches, players and fellow officials it has been a good year. I thank all of you for your commitment and personal sacrifice during the season and your play and rule questions.
I encourage all of you to continue studying the case and rule books. Many of the game issues this season were from our lack of rule knowledge. Many local Associations conduct what are referred to as off-season meetings. Attend as many of them as you can. Most associations now rely heavily on video replay of game situations to learn from, making the meetings even more informative and meaningful. This upcoming season we (the IHSA) are making a significant change to our clinic presentations which will be driven by video reviews. We believe a “show and tell” approach with reference to rule applications will improve our officiating skills and make the clinic presentations more meaningful.
Lastly, congratulations to all the crews who received a playoff assignment. Regardless of the number of games your crew receives during the postseason, use them to springboard you into next season. Remember, you must do the work to get better. Study on your own and arrange meetings with crew members or fellow officials to study. It makes learning more enjoyable and meaningful when working with fellow officials.
To our newer officials, do not miss out on the opportunity to sit in and learn from these opportunities and presentations. We want you at these meetings.
BE ELITE!!!