Officials,

SAOA News:

Thanks to those that attended the meeting last night! Next meeting is 10/16/24 at Alton Sports Tap with a 6:30 Kickoff. Final Meeting will be 10/30/24 at Boogies in Maryville with a 6:30 Start. Please continue to send me Hudl plays. If you or your crew get a playoff assignment, please let me know.

The season is half over. In a few weeks the IHSA will be sending out state finals assignments. Some of you will be happy and others disappointed. My point here is simple. If you are disappointed, why were you unable to reach your goal? Too often we are quick to blame others when in fact we individually and as a crew are not taking advantage of the opportunities provided to us. It takes commitment individually and as a crew to improve. You have 4 weeks left in this season to improve your ratings and to improve your performance on the field. The last 4 weeks of ratings will be reflected in next year’s Powerpoints (get started now).  Start improving now by selling yourselves from the minute you get out of your vehicle at the school parking lot. If needed, change your first impression(s) regardless of how many times you may have officiated at a school. Start now!  Keep in mind, you are not going from zero assignments to the finals in one year. It is a process you can influence by your commitment. We (the IHSA) need you, but you must do the work to reach your goal. As an individual and as a crew, study your rule/case books; the IHSA Officials Manual; study as a crew; study your game films; make the necessary improvements that are needed; attend the Officials Conference in July; and join/attend your local association meetings. Good luck to all of you.

Illegal Shift (False Start 7-1-7a):

Here is a link to a video showing a team committing an illegal shift as we have discussed for many years, often referred to as the Dallas Cowboy shift. The proper terminology should be a false start (7-1-7a). With a shift all the offensive players moving could theoretically get legally set prior to the snap, thus avoiding a live-ball penalty at the snap for an illegal shift. In the play being provided you will see the line does not move in unison and they move their positions laterally. The instruction/guidance you should have been receiving is quite simple. When the line shifts it is supposed to be in unison, the lineman’s feet must remain stationary (cannot step forwards, backwards or laterally) so as not to lead the defense to believe the ball will be snapped with the offensive lines’ movement. The crew handling this play threw a flag for the shift/false start, had a quick crew discussion and decided to waive off the flag! The offensive lines’ actions warranted a false start foul. Hopefully, this video will help your crew get the call correct should the shift not be done correctly.

Uncoordinated Line Shift – False Start (youtube.com)

Play Review:

Safety Fouls – Clipping, Blocks in the Back or Below the Waist, Blindside Blocks and Defenseless Player Hits.

 During the past several years the IHSA and NFHS have made a concentrated effort to reduce illegal hits that lead to player injuries. My observations have been we are seeing fewer clipping fouls and blocks in the back or below the waist. However, we are still seeing blindside blocks and defenseless player hits.

Remember, the definition of a blindside block (2-3-10) which states, “A blindside block is a block against an opponent” other than the runner, who does not see the blocker approaching.” The key here is “an opponent.” It does not matter if the opponent is on offense or defense. What brought this to my attention was a defensive player who committed a blindside hit on an offensive player. Until I watched it, I had never given much thought to the defensive player creating this foul. Rule 9-4-3n tells us, “A blindside block cannot be executed outside of the free-blocking zone with forceful contact unless initiated with open hands. The penalty is a 15-yard penalty. 

Defenseless players usually create split second decisions.

How do we prepare ourselves to anticipate a potential defenseless player situation?

Knowing the down, distance and time remaining in the period help us prepare. Knowing the offensive team’s tendencies also help us as to what could happen during the next play. Like a Boy Scout, be prepared.

Rule 2-32-16 tells us, “A defenseless player is a player who, because of the player’s physical position and focus of concentration, is especially vulnerable to injury. A player is no longer defenseless once the player’s physical position and focus of concentration no longer makes the player especially vulnerable to injury. A player who initiates contact against a defenseless player is responsible for making legal contact (wrap or open hands).” Rules 9-4-3g and 9-4-3i Note #3 provide further guidance in determining if the hit you observed was legal or not.

Always error on the side of safety.

Kicking Game Refresher: Play #1

 Team A attempts a field goal (try) during a very windy night. The ball is clearly over the crossbar between the uprights when the wind blows the ball back into B’s end zone. Is the field goal try good or not?

Ruling:  This is a legal field goal, and it does not matter if the ball comes back above or below the crossbar. 8.4.1 Situation A

Scrimmage Kick Reminders During a Windy Night:

This past weekend was difficult regarding the windy conditions players and officials had to work through. This is why we must know what A/K or B/R are allowed to do and how it affects the status of the ball during or after the scrimmage kick.

Rule 6-1-3 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.”

A recurring question involves punts that go beyond the neutral zone, are touched by R that rebound behind the neutral zone and are recovered by K short of the line to gain and the ball becomes dead. Whose ball is it and what is the status of the ball?

Answer: Once touched by R whichever team recovers in the field of play will have a new series awarded to them.  If the ball is blown back behind the neutral zone untouched by R, K can recover and advance but must advance beyond the line to gain to start a new series. Otherwise, it is R’s ball at the spot where the ball becomes dead behind the line to gain. Where the ball is recovered dictates what K may do.

K may not advance an untouched scrimmage kick recovered beyond the neutral zone and if recovered by K beyond the neutral zone the ball becomes dead and the ball belongs to R at that spot of K’s recovery (6-2-4).

REMEMBER last year’s FG attempt on third down and the kick is blocked and rolls out of bounds behind the neutral zone?

The crew allowed K another play thinking because the field goal attempt was on third down and the ball had not crossed the neutral zone, they could try again on fourth down.

This obviously is an unusual play/situation. The correct ruling (5-1-3e) tells us, “When a scrimmage down ends with the ball in the field of play or out of bounds between the goal lines, a new series is awarded (e) to R, if K legally kicks during any scrimmage down and the ball is recovered by R, is in joint possession of opponents, goes out of bounds or becomes dead with no player in possession.”

Play: The Kicking Game – Things You MUST Know!

After a safety, K free kicks to R.  At some point during the kick, there was a face mask penalty by a K player.   R catches the free kick and runs around and fumbles the ball which is recovered by K.  What MUST you know to properly rule on this question?

Answers: (1) the official who throws the flag needs to know if the face mask penalty was before or after R has gained possession. It’s imperative we know the type of play (loose ball play) 0r (running play) when the foul occurred.  (2) You MUST bag the point of the fumble (end of the run). (3) If the flag was thrown before possession of the kick was gained, you would have previous spot enforcement and re-kick (loose- ball play). (4) If the flag was after possession of the kick (running play) you would enforce the penalty from the end of the run (where the fumble occurred). Do not tell the referee you do not know where the ball was when you threw the flag! C’mon man! It’s important to know the type of play in progress when the foul occurred.

A kicking play … You MUST know the Rules! Play #2

Fourth and 10 on K’s 45-yard line. K1 punts the ball beyond the neutral zone. R1 muffs the ball back behind the neutral zone where K1 recovers and: (a) falls on the ball at K’s 40-yard line; or (b) throws a forward pass to K3 which is complete at the 50-yard line and R1 interferes with K3; or (c) K1 punts the ball and R1 fair catches at his 30-yard line.

Ruling: Since R1 touched the kick beyond the neutral zone, it will be first down for the team in possession in (a), (b), and (c). In (a) it is a first down for K at K’s 40-yard line. In (b) the pass is legal as there had been no change of team possession. If K accepts the penalty for pass interference, it will be K’s ball 1/10 at R’s 40-yard line. In (c) the second punt is legal as there had been no change of team possession, The ball belongs to R first and 10 on its own 30-yard line anywhere between the hash marks. The game clock will start on the SNAP (3-4-3-c) and the play clock is on the 25 (3-6-1-a-1-f). (4-3-6d,5-1-3f, 6-2-1, 7-5-1, 5.1.3 Sit C)

Closing:

You and your crew should be in mid-season form meaning your games should be moving smoothly. Remember to work on your game management (keep the game moving smoothly). That means everyone on the crew!

Hopefully, the wind is done being crazy for the remainder of the year. Have a good game this week and have fun. Keep your plays and rule questions coming.