Weekly Bull 7/24/19

SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOOTBALL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION, INC.

THE WEEKLY BULL - JULY 24, 2019

Wednesday’s Agenda

  1. Attendance

  2. Announcement from the Special Board Meeting

  3. Review of the Weekly Bull

  4. Questions On New Rules (Rule Book page 97) and New Mechanics (Mechanics Book Insert attached to this Bull)

  5. Calibration 7-24-19 (5 plays)

  6. Instructional Video 7-24-19 (11 plays)

  7. Football Fundamentals – Rule Book pages 83-85 (special emphasis on: kicks; touchback vs safety; basic spots; all-but-one principle; exceptions to all-but-one; live ball vs dead ball fouls; multiple fouls and double fouls.) 

Special Board Meeting – 6:00 pm in Room 101 – This is a meeting involving a personnel matter so it is a closed session.  Only Board Members and Officers of the Board may be in attendance.  Results from this meeting will be announced in each classroom.

Classroom Assignments – It is common for schools to be deep cleaning classrooms over the summer break.  I want to thank you for being patient as we change classrooms…sometimes weekly.  We will end up in assigned classrooms soon.  Please stay alert for an email from me with this week’s classrooms.  Thank you for your flexibility!

  • Crew Chief – Instructors Meeting 6:15 – Room 102

Ineligibles Downfield – The National Federation has provided a clarification of this rule which is worded awkwardly in the rule book on page 64 (7-5-12).  We have been informed that the final sentence in that section has been carried over from a rule change a decade ago and should be crossed out.  Ineligibles are all provided the expanded neutral zone (up to 2 yards) whether they are in immediate contact with a defensive lineman or not.  I was the one who asked for the clarification as the first and the third sentences seemed to me to be in conflict with one another.  I anticipate the correction to be made in next year’s book. 

Thank you Garth DeFelice – Approximately 100 officials (mostly referees and umpires) were in attendance last Wednesday for an outstanding session on run zone coverage plus a wide variety of issues of communication and coordination between the two positions.  I truly feel we’re making huge advancements in our vision patterns resulting in improved coordination by our crews.  If done properly, each crew member starts with an initial responsibility, then reads the play and quickly transitions to their zone responsibility.  And finally, as the full play presents itself, each individual transitions to a well-coordinated view of  key blocks where, again, no two officials are necessarily looking at the same block.  The result is less ball watching, more coverage, and more accountability. When there is a missed foul, the crew should be asking “Who was responsible for that block?” not “Who could have helped with that block?”  Coordination + Accountability = Maximum Coverage

Clinic for Line of Scrimmage Officials - The next clinic will be Wednesday July 31st when Steve Hoslett, HL in the Mountain West, will be discussing pre-snap, play recognition, vision responsibilities, judgment, and dead ball officiating.  All line of scrimmage officials are asked to attend and any other interested certified official is also completely welcome to come and listen to one of the best line of scrimmage officials in his conference.  The program will start at 7:00 pm in the Auditorium.  As always, 1st and 2nd year officials will meet in their regular classrooms and should not attend this presentation.

New Officials – Welcome to all new officials.  At this time there are 40 new officials signed up and 35 second year officials and transfers.  We will be adding a few more as they trickle in.  Way to recruit SDCFOA!  You are keeping our association strong!

Pre-snap and Dead Ball Routines  – Our pre-snap and dead ball routine must be as complex and thorough as the coaches’ and players’ play-calling and pre-snap adjustments.  Are we as prepared for the snap as they are?  A good way to develop your pre-snap and dead ball routines is to consider each play in three separate parts:

  • Pre-Snap

  • Live Ball

  • Dead Ball (dead ball culminates with the movement of the down indicator – once you move that, you now begin pre-snap routine!)

Base your routine on the SDCFOA Pre-Snap Routine which is located in the mechanics manual.  Each positions pre-snap, live ball and dead ball routines are listed by position.  The live ball portion is listed in the general mechanics for 4-man or 5-man.  The list provided is just that, a list.  Re-order according to your own style and crew. 

Write it out!!!…Memorize it…use it every play!  Remember, it changes slightly for kicks, hurry-up offense, short yardage, end of half, end of game, etc.. 

Judgment!!! - There are four and only four reasons to throw a flag:

  1. Safety

  2. Sportsmanship

  3. Administration (LOS fouls, procedure, delay of game, etc.)

  4. Effect on the play (at point of attack with definite, material restriction and advantage gained)

Accuracy in judgement comes from strong, consistent mechanics, mastery of the rules, and a deep understanding and appreciation for the SDCFOA Philosophies and Common Sense documents located in our mechanics manual.  Accuracy comes from a strong foundation – it is the rock of our association!

Calibration This Week! – We will be expanding our use of Kahoot.it as a survey tool as we calibrate our judgments of plays presented in class on Hudl.  Bring your Smart Phones to class.  We will only calibrate when certified classes are meeting.  Crew Chief will calibrate during the crew chief meeting and the results will be shared with each classroom so the crew chief responses can be matched to the classroom responses.  I will send out the calibration video along with a separate Coover Instructional video the weeks we are going to calibrate plays (regular class meetings).  This way you can view the fouls prior to going into the classroom.  This exercise has been well received by the SDCFOA and is meant to be an informative, learning experience.  Be open to new ideas, criteria, and the overall consensus!  

Blocks Below the Waist – Nothing has changed.  If the QB is under center, and the block is in the zone, the ball is most likely in the zone and the low block is legal...(assuming the players were on the line of scrimmage and in the free blocking zone at the snap).  If the QB is in shotgun, the ball is most likely out of the zone (immediately) and any low block is illegal.  I’m still waiting for film that shows a legal BBW in shotgun!  Remember, the key to any discussion with the coaches should be centered on the issue of the ball being in the zone (legal) or out of the zone (illegal).  “Coach, that BBW was illegal as the ball was out of the FBZ (shotgun).”  Or “Coach, that BBW was legal as the ball was still in the FBZ (under center).”

Do you have any conflicts of interest?  Here are some possible conflicts of interest which may cause you to block yourself from working a particular school:

  1. Your alma mater – Don’t work games at your high school if you’ve graduated within the last five years. If you still have ties to the school, were a noted athlete, or still good friends with members of the coaching staff, 10 years or longer would apply.

  2. Family connections – Don’t work games at a school if you have a family connection.

  3. Business ties – If you are employed by a school, don’t officiate that school. Also be careful of bosses whose kids play for a particular school.

Blocks in Arbiter – Assignments will be coming out soon! Don’t forget to block the dates you cannot work.  If a game comes up on a Thursday and you’re not blocked, Tom will assign assuming you are available.  A phone call or email saying you’re not available doesn’t do well for you the next time a game comes up and it’s your turn.  Conversely, if you block a Saturday and a big game comes up, you will not show up as available for that “big assignment”.  So keep your blocks honest and up-to-date!

Gently Used Equipment and Uniforms – Every year we get a chance to update our equipment and uniform.  If you have some extra equipment or uniform pieces that are still in good shape our 1st year officials would LOVE it if you’d donate to them. 

Coach’s Cards - Coach’s Cards can be filled out and downloaded at www.sdcfoa.org under Educational Resources and Football Mechanics.  These cards are to be presented to the head coach at the Pregame Meeting or at the sideline meeting between the flank official and his head coach at EVERY high school VARSITY game.

Referee and Umpire or Other Official - Pregame Conference - Confer with coaches and check game balls. Be businesslike and cordial but not overly friendly with the coaches. During the Pre-Game meeting with the coaches, the REFEREE shall confirm (but not be limited to) the following information starting with the HOME TEAM and in no particular order:

  1. Introductions (hat off) – My name is (your name) and I’ll be your referee tonight. (Coach’s Card)

  2. Everyone legally equipped?

  3. Any unusual plays or formations?

  4. Will you be going in before kickoff?

  5. Where will you go at halftime?

  6. As you know we will expect good sportsmanship tonight.

  7. Let’s agree on how we’re going to communicate tonight….

  8. Who is your “Get Back Coach”? In order to hear and see a signal from the sideline for a Time Out, you may enter the field so as to alert any/all officials to stop the clock. “If I see you out of the box,and on the field, I will assume you are requesting a time out…otherwise you’d be penalized for UNS.”

  9. Can we see your game ball, please?

  10. My watch/the game clock has the correct time; we will come for the captains in 15minutes.

  11. Good luck, coach

July 24 2019
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