Weekly Bull 8/21/19

SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOOTBALL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION, INC.

A Federal Non Profit Tax Exempt Corporation – www.sdcfoa.org

THE WEEKLY BULL - August 21, 2019

1. Agenda – Attendance (looking good!) – Bull – Calibration – Instructional Video – 50 Question Rules Test

2. It’s game week! Are you ready for Friday Night Lights!  It continues to be warm.  Don’t forget to hydrate. Does your crew have a person responsible for water and maybe energy bars?  Be prepared for the intensity and enthusiasm of the teams, players, coaches and fans!  Everyone is undefeated and expecting a victory.  Our job is to provide a fair and accurate application of the rules of high school football.  Let’s all make a great first impression on behalf of our crews and the SDCFOA.  Enjoy the pressure, you’ve earned it.

3. Thank You From the First and Second Year Instructors – Every year our first year officials work their very first scrimmages with the outstanding guidance of some of our best crew members. Then our second year officials work their scrimmage with the help of more outstanding officials.  This year was no different!  Our regular crew members did another amazing job of educating, supporting, and helping to develop the 1^st and 2^nd year officials’ skills this past week.  Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the Association and its membership! – Tom Ables, Tyler Lindsay, Earl Totty, Jimmy Christensen, Ed Blick and Don Carey

4. Donations to First & Second Year Class – Thanks to all the certified guys that donated uniforms and equipment to the first and second year classes.  We realistically had 15 pairs of shoes, 25 pairs of pants, 20 hats, and all sorts of other stuff donated by the association members.  ALL of it was taken by first and second year officials to use this season. You’re awesome! 

5. Clean up classrooms – Please remember to clean up after yourself. Remember we’re guests! 

6. Put Technology Back – On that same note, instructors and selected individuals who are helping with the technology, please return the technology connections back the way you found them when you first logged in. 

7. Film From Scrimmages – We are very lucky to have the support of our head coaches who faithfully add their game film to their league pool and allow us to access our games so we can evaluate our work. We even get the opening week scrimmages!  So don’t waist this opportunity for improvement by allowing your ego to trick you into thinking every call you made was a correct call.  If you have questions, ask a crew member, especially your referee!  Check your progress spots.  Evaluate your signaling.  Are you staring at the QB or watching your receivers?  Then of course…evaluate your calls…were there indicators of a foul, did it have a material effect on the play and gain a team a “clear and obvious” advantage.  Was it a safety call? 

8. Items From Scrimmages – EQUIPMENT – Observe and address it in warm-ups, then send players out for one play. Don’t start the stream of warnings.  Kneed pads covering knees, pants covering knee pads. No tinted visors…even with a Dr.’s note, no bandanas sticking out, jersey and/or t-shirt must be to waist or tucked in, no bellies exposed, not long t-shirts hanging down.

9. 40 Second Play Clock Worries – I hope our implementation of the 40 second play clock goes well. I know we’ve prepared for it.  Please provide feedback to me regarding teams that want to “milk the clock” or teams that want to hurry up.  I’d also like feedback on play at the end of the first half and the end of the game.  Were we efficient and did we manage the pace of the game well.  I continue to be concerned about the “silent wind” and want to encourage the referees to explore blowing our whistles to see if it doesn’t help the game clock operator.  Cover this topic with head coaches before the game, and speak with QBs and centers to remind them if the ball is unattended by umpire it is ready for play…no whistle.  Let me know how it goes, gentlemen.

10. Scrimmage Kick and the Goal Line – The punt is airborne and the receiver is standing with both feet in the end zone. When the kick arrives, the receiver appears to touch the kick outside of the plane of the endzone and muffs it (before breaking the plane) into the field of play. The BJ rules the ball did not break the plane and when it was recovered by the kicking team, the BJ rightfully awards the ball to the kicking team.   BUT, the LJ is at the pylon looking straight down the goal line and his view shows the ball breaking the plane of the goal line prior to being touched by the receiver.  Touchback!  This is a great play to discuss in your pregame. 

11. Blocking Below the Waist – Nothing has changed with regard for the rule governing BBW. REMEMBER both the offensive and defensive players are prohibited from blocking below the waist unless the following conditions are met: Both player BBW and the player being BBW must be linemen in the free blocking zone at the snap; the block must be initiated in the free blocking zone; and the ball must be in the FBZ when first contact is made.  Generally, when a QB is under center, the ball remains in the FBZ when first contact is made.  Generally, when the QB is in shotgun, the ball has left the FBZ before first contact is made.  Remember, these generalities also apply to defensive players cutting offensive blockers in an attempt to create a pile or take on a blocker. 

12. JV and Varsity Double Headers – Coaches are concerned that during a JV game a controversy will take place and result in “bad blood” that carries over into the varsity game. Let’s be intellectually aware of the potential for this to be a problem and make sure we keep our composure and don’t give the head coach the impression that we’re pissed off. 

13. Teams Encouraged to Have a Second Game Ball – I want to remind all officials that we are not “requiring” teams to have a second game ball, but I did strongly encourage all teams to have one. So, don’t get into an argument regarding the second game ball, if the just don’t have one…that just the way it will have to be.  Adjust to it please. 

Illegal Substitution

Dead Ball Fouls – Shut it down

1. Replaced player does not begin to leave field within three seconds

2. 12 or more players in formation as the snap is eminent (same as #a. above by philosophy)

3. Replaced player or sub is still on the field at the snap (not one step from successfully leaving)

4. Player, substitute, or replaced player leaves the field on opposite side or end zone

5. During the same dead ball, player leaves and re-enters, or sub enters and then leaves again (unless a penalty is accepted, dead-ball foul occurs, charged time out, or period ends. 

Live Ball Fouls – Let the play go

1. Entering sub is not on his side of the ball when ball is snapped or free kicked (does not participate)

2. Replaced player or sub enters field after the ball is snapped (but does not participate) 

Illegal Participation

15 Yards, live ball foul – Basic spot enforcement

1. No A or K player shall intentionally goes out of bounds, prior to a change of possession, during the down and returns to the field (not blocked out of bounds as a player who is blocked out of bounds may legally return at the first opportunity.) (basic spot is where the player re-entered)

2. Substitute, coach, other non-player hinders an opponent, touches the ball, influences the play (basic pot is the yardline of the illegal hindrance, touch, or other participation)

3. Substitute, coach, other non-player enters during the down. (basic spot is where the participation occurred not necessarily where he entered the field)

4. Player, whose helmet comes off, continues to participate beyond the immediate action (basic spot is where the participation occurred) 

15 yards, live ball foul – Previous spot

1. Injured player is not replaced for at least one down

2. 12 or more players participate at the snap or fee kick

3. Use a player or replaced player or substitute in a pretended substitution to deceive opponents

4. Player lying on the ground to deceive opponents

5. Disqualified player re-enters the game