Jim Briggs

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Recent mechanics changes2008

• Jim Briggs

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Positions and responsibilities
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Initial position on free kicks

• Downfield officials start on pylons
• Not 5-yard line
• 3 officials deep? R may start in end zone
• All may move up according to
• Wind
• Strength of kicker's leg

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Referees position on punts

• Be deeper than kicker
• Rather than level with spot of kick
• Be at 45 to kicker when ball kicked
• Advantages
• R is out of the way if bad snap or kick is
  blocked
• R in better position to rule if kick goes out of
  bounds

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Wing officials observe motion on their side of
the field

• Instead of observing motion of player moving away
  from you
• Advantage
• No switch of responsibility if player changes
  direction
• Switch when player passes the ball is easier than
  when player changes direction

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Umpire goes to get ball in hurry-up situations

• In hurry-up situations (when the clock is still
  running), the Umpire must go get the ball
  wherever it is inbounds, and act as both
  Retriever and Spotter. Other officials must
  ensure that they are in position for the next
  down.

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Umpire standing over the ball 1

• Every play, U stay over the ball until you have
  checked that
• down box is at the succeeding spot (or virtually)
• defense is ready (i.e. on field and roughly in
  formation) including giving defense opportunity
  to make matching substitutions if Team A do
• all officials in position facing the ball
• R looks prepared to declare the ready for play

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Umpire standing over the ball 2

• Also, after stoppage, in addition to the above,
  stay over ball until reason for the stoppage has
  ended, e.g.
• 105 (or 35") of the timeout has ended (or both
  teams are obviously ready)
• R has completed his penalty announcements
• injured player is clear of the field
• chains are back at sideline after a measurement

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Fumble recovery mechanics 1

• Unless obviously no change in team possession,
  covering official signals to show which team has
  recovered the ball
• If Team B recover (or Team A after double change)
  signal a first down (S8)
• If Team A recover normally, signal next down

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Fumble recovery mechanics 2

• If nobody sees who recovers fumble before a
  "scrum" forms on top of the ball
• Award ball to player in control once scrum
  unpiled
• If equal control of the ball, award to team last
  in possession
• Touching the ball does not necessarily mean that
  a player is in control of the ball.

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New supplementary signal 27

• Same as signal S17 for uncatchable pass
• Use when telling L that down box is wrong
• Could also be used to tell LJ that auxiliary box
  is wrong

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Bean bag rather than flag if in doubt over
illegal forward pass

• If possible that forward pass was thrown from
  beyond the neutral zone
• R move to spot of pass and drop bean bag
• Keep officiating until the play is over
• Come back and check position of bean bag
• Consult with colleagues who may also have had a
  view of the location of the pass
• If pass illegal, throw flag at position of bean
  bag
• Throw flag if certain pass was illegal

13
Umpire does not turn around on field goal attempts

• Do not turn around to see whether the kick is
  successful or not.
• Do not echo the success/failure signals of the
  official(s) ruling on the kick.

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Delay of game (25-second clock)

• SJ is no longer responsible for calling this
• R is always

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DUTIES
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Be aware of where line to gain is

• Being aware of where the line to gain is in
  relation to the line of scrimmage so that you
  don't have to look at the chain to know whether
  the dead ball spot is close to the line to gain
  or not.

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Keys

• Doesn't matter in determining keys whether a
  player is wearing an eligible number or not.
• If the formation is illegal (e.g. too many
  players in the backfield, more than one player in
  motion), failsafe to keys based on position of
  players at snap.
• Disregard whether receiver is covered on the line
  when determining keys.

18
Referee notifies coach of disqualification

• For a disqualification, the calling official
  should accompany R to notify Head Coach of number
  of player and nature of foul.
• If R called foul, wing should accompany him.
• Another official (normally opposite wing) should
  inform opposing coach of disqualification.

19
Kick off interrupted

• If anything happens that should prevent the kick
  taking place (e.g. a non-participant enters or
  approaches the field of play), toot your whistle,
  give the timeout signal (S3) and deal with the
  problem.

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Way of working
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Tempo 1

• Jogging looks better than walking
• Keep facing the ball enables R to declare ball
  ready for play sooner

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Tempo 2

• When players angry or frustrated
• slow tempo to let them cool off or talk to you
• increase tempo to force concentration
• use experience to decide which is appropriate
• In hot weather
• encourage players to drink water during breaks
• never call a Referee's timeout solely for water

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Tempo 3

• The official who recognises an injured player
  should note his number and ensure that the
  provisions of Rule 3-3-5 are observed.
• Always follow the advice or instructions of the
  medical personnel present regarding the removal
  of players from the field.
• Don't rush this.

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Penalty administration

• No longer necessary to record half-distance
  penalty yardage

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Rules interpretations
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Illegal formation

• Ignore any foul for six men on the line of
  scrimmage if Team A has only 10 men on the field
  at the snap.

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Fighting

• Distinguish between players (on field at start of
  fight), substitutes and coaches who actively
  participate in fight and those trying only to
  separate combatants.
• Latter should not be disqualified
• Only disqualify player if certain of number.
• If two players involved in fight, don't
  disqualify one unless you know identity of the
  other.
• Unnecessary roughness on "take a knee" should
  normally result in disqualification