Football Official

Football Official

Zebra

Somewhere in, NJ

Male, 62

I've officiated football for over 30 years, now in my 26th on the college level. I've worked NCAA playoffs at the Division II and III level. In addition, I've coached at the scholastic level and have been an educator for over 35 years. I have no interest whatsoever in being an NFL official! Ever!

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Last Answer on January 23, 2021

Best Rated

if the ball crosses the goalline but is knocked out of the players hand and is recovered by the defence is it a touchdown or fumbule

Asked by nsane about 10 years ago

I'm assuming the ball is in player possession when it crosses the goal.  If a runner puts the ball in his possession over the line, it is a touchdown; play is over and the "recovery" is irrelevant.  You use the concept of a "pane of glass"; if you break the glass, it's a TD.  If a receiver catches the ball in the air over the endzone, he must come down to the ground with possession. So if a reception is made in the air, and the ball is knocked out of the receiver's hands before he establishes contact with the ground, it's incomplete.

2nd down at opponent 25 yd ln.
Pass play for 10 yds, run for another 10 yds.
Holding by blocking wr downfield at 10 yd ln.

Is it 2nd down at 20
or 3rd down at 20?

Can the offense gain yds and not lose a down, where they committed the infraction?

Asked by J.Best over 10 years ago

First, you don't indicate the yards to go, so I can't know if there was a first down made.  The penalty in this play would be marked off from the spot of the foul since it was beyond the line of scrimmage and behind the end of the run (with me so far?).  It is likely at least 2nd down because if the penalty is accepted, you replay the down. 

Your third point: you could make a first down, have a penalty by the offense at the end of the run, and be pushed back with the penalty enforcement but still have first down.

If the wind knocks the ball off the tee, does the kicker have to ask the ref before replacing the ball?

Asked by KFA over 10 years ago

Generally, no.  A lot of times the official responsible for working with the kicker (the Back Judge) will come over, but the kicker will set it up.  If it blows over a second time, the kicking team has to have someone hold it.

Sorry to beat a dead horse on assisting a runner. As a coach, I want to teach it if it is legal. If it is not legal .... IT NEEDS TO BE CALLED. Get rid of the rule if it's not going to be called and let us coach it.

Asked by kc26 over 10 years ago

Any rule - in the appropriate spot - can and should be called.  The situations that have been described, while possibly helping the runner, just aren't so clear cut as to be fouls (e.g. pushing the pile).  Now, that being said, there may be situations (which I cannot nor do I choose to think of at this time) when a player might be "helped" and that should be called.  To your point about coaching it, I'm not sure what you're going to tell your players to do. And if you coach them to do something and it gets called, that's on you. I'm not sure what is going on that it is being called and is generating such angst.  But it really isn't worth continuing; you're right - the horse is dead; it's time to dismount.

If you intercept the ball on about the 10 yard line and you run a little bit and then get tackled in the endzone, is it a saftey , touchback, or is the ball just place at the spot of the interception?

Asked by Cole over 10 years ago

This was mentioned a few questions ago. If you intercept a pass inside the 5 (at least in college, probably NFL, too) and then go into the endzone where you're tackled, it comes back out to the spot of the interception. That is momentum.  If it is intercepted at the ten, as you describe, and you take it into the endzone, it is your fault the ball is there, and that will be a safety.

college football - 20 yard completion for first down and db grabs receivers facemask on catch for a personal foul penalty. team was given a choice of which one to take. i thought this was an add on at the end of the play. Ruling correct?

Asked by Bob over 10 years ago

You're correct.  That penalty should have been tacked on at the end of the play. Pass play plus penalty: that should have been a 35-yard total for the offense.

Continuation on assisting the runner. I just watched another good example on a 4th quarter Dallas Cowboys TD vs the Redskins. If this is in fact against the rules, why is it never called?

Asked by kc8333 over 10 years ago

There's a saying among officials: Don't make it the call of the game.  Your calls should be solid, clear, obvious. If it's there, call it.  Pushing the runner in a pile of bodies? Not obvious, not clear.  Why is it never called? It just isn't a solid call. And I don't want to make the next week's training film as the guy who called helping the runner.