Officiating Philosophies – Miscellaneous & Personal Fouls

1. Officiating Philosophies – Miscellaneous & Personal Fouls José M. Rebés EFAF Officiating Clinic 2008 Vantaa, Finland

2. Miscellaneous1. Side officials don’t blow whistles on plays up the middle. • Manual of Football Officiating §5.5-5: At the end of a down, if you are the COVERING official and you are sure the ball is dead, blow your whistle. Never be the first official to blow a whistle if the ball is not in your zone. • When the ball dies near to R, U or BJ (in their zones) the side officials should normally not blow whistles.

3. 2. Only the covering officials wind the clock on free kicks. • It is not necessary for other officials to repeat this signal, including the game clock responsible. Be concentrate about your responsibilities, avoid overtasking you!

4. 3. No TRY down is necessary if the time for the game has expired on the touchdown and the team ahead is ahead by three or more points. • Rule 8-3-2-a: If a touchdown is scored during a down in which time in the fourth period expires, the try shall not be attempted unless the point(s) would affect the outcome of the game.

5. 4. Only the Head Coach can call a timeout for a challenge. If the Team is inside the red zone (25-yard line) a player can call the timeout for the Head Coach to challenge. • Rule 12-5-1-b: The head coach of either team may request that the game be stopped and a play be reviewed by challenging the on-field ruling. 1. A head coach initiates this challenge by taking a team timeout before the ball is next legally put in play and informing the referee that he is challenging the ruling of the previous play. • But, if the Team is inside the red zone LET A PLAYER to call the timeout for the Head Coach to challenge.

6. 5. Do throw a flag for sideline warning. Call sideline warning at the end of a down without causing an interruption, but be sure the Head Coach has had a prior verbal warning. • ‘Sideline warning’ is a call for a Game Administration Interference foul (Rule 9-1-5). Every foul should be called with a flag. Throw your flag as high as you consider convenient (it will be penalized as a dead ball foul). • Each official will record the time and period of each warning.

7. 6. 5-yard facemask fouls are rare but if it is a grasp and then let go, it can be called. When in question it is a 15-yard foul. • Rule 9-1-2-s PENALTY: “Defensive team: 5 yards for incidentalgrasping”. • All other facemask fouls: 15 yards (first down for Team B fouls is not in conflict with other rules). • Incidental: “Secondary or minor” (Collins Dictionary). We need to redefine it as “to grasp and then let go without turn, twist or pull” (Rule 9-1-2-s penalty).

8. 7. The ball can be placed on a yard line to begin the next possession. At all other times, the ball is placed where it is. • Exception: If the change of possession occurs on a 4th down (running or passing play) the ball will be left at the dead ball spot to begin the next series.

9. 8. When in doubt on passer pass/fumble, we will rule it as pass. • Rule 2-19-2-c: When in question, the ball is passed during an attempted forward pass. • When in doubt about of if there was an attempted forward pass we will rule it as pass.

10. 9. Teams must be kept between the numbers, the sidelines and the 25-yard lines during charged timeouts. • The intent is to set a limit on how far coaches can come on to the field if they want to talk to their team during a team timeout. • The wing officials will stand next to the sideline huddles to get the teams promptly back on the field when the Referee signals.

11. 10. 5/5 axiom: In order to adjust the game clock … • … when it has been running, there must be more than a 5 second differential if there is more than 5 minutes remaining in either half. Any time lost due to the clock being started erroneously, such as when a dead ball foul is called, the clock must be adjusted.

12. 11. If you think it is a foul, it is NOT, except against the passer. • If you know it is a foul, it IS. • Rule 2-27-5: The passer is the player who throws a legal forward pass. He is a passer from the time he releases the ball until it is complete, incomplete or intercepted or he moves to participate in the play (A.R. 10-2-2-XXXIII). • The passer is a defenseless player who is vulnerable to injury and must be fully protected (A.R. 9-1-2- XXVIII). • The passer who is in the act of throwing the ball, or who has not had a reasonable length of time to participate in the play again after releasing the ball (Rulebook, Points of Emphasis).

13. Personal Fouls1. If action is deemed to be “fighting”, then the player must be disqualified. When in doubt of such actions, the player is not fighting. • Fighting is any attempt by a player, coach or squad member in uniform to strike an opponent in a combative manner unrelated to football (Rule 2-32-1).

14. 2. Contact with the helmet in an attempt to punish is always a foul whether by offense or defense. • The helmet is for the protection of the player.

15. 3. For late hits away from the ball near the end of the play, lean towards dead-ball foul rather than live-ball foul. • There is no any “when in question” rule involved. • Dead ball fouls cannot offset any live ball foul, it should be applied separated.

16. 4. When a player is hit after giving himself up, a foul is warranted. • Football Rules, Points Of Emphasis: “The following are situations in which defenseless players are susceptible to serious injury: - The player who has relaxed once the ball has become dead; - The player who is obviously out of the play. These players are protected by rules that have been in place for many years.”

17. 5. Fouls on the runner after the touchdown that are obviously late must be called. • Same situation in fact that the previous point.

18. 6. Spitting on an opponent requires disqualification. • Rule 9-2-1, Unsportsmanlike Conduct, Penalty: Dead-ball foul. 15 yards from the succeeding spot. Flagrant offenders, if players or substitutes, shall be disqualified.