SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOOTBALL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION - THE WEEKLY BULL – October 21, 2026 No Meeting This Week – Prepare each day this week. Review a rule for your crew. Study the Instructional Video and this Bull. Scout your teams and organize yourself and the crew for all logistics.
Banquet Stories – Our Banquet will be on November 5th, and we need stories. See Bob Hood or email him your video or story of our fun-loving mistakes from the 2025 season. Also, remember to attend as you’ve already paid for your dinner when you paid your dues! The banquet will start at 6:00pm and will again be at the Admiral Baker Golf Course, 2400 Admiral Baker Road in Mission Valley.
Golf Tournament - Sign up now! https://www.sdyouthfootballfund.org is the sign-up hub. We are expecting to get to our usual maximum number, so sign up at the latest this week. Raffle prizes are needed, think about getting something to donate to raffle. The golf tournament raffle is separate from the Banquet raffle, so we always want everyone to leave the golf tournament with a memento. If you can donate something, please bring to tourney, or let Mike Downing know at docdowning@aol.com or 619-888-6430. Thanks!
Things Are Heating Up! – You can feel the intensity building as we work our way toward the playoffs. Big games every week and league championships on the line. Make sure your crew is prepared and ready for every snap starting with the opening kickoff!
Excellent Mechanics Begins with Mid-Week Preparation – You get your assignments well enough in advance to prepare yourself for the mechanics required of you for the position that you have been assigned. Prior to your game, preferably mid-week, take out your manual and review your positioning for your Youth, Frosh, JV or Varsity position assignment, whether it is flag or tackle football. This is an expectation for all officials each week, each game!
Counting Every Down - No one disputes the importance of counting players EVERY down. But let’s take it to the next level, count EARLY EVERY down. Those that Referee at the college level count and signal while offense is in huddle or asap if they are using a “no huddle” offense. This allows both the R and U to move on thru there pre snap routine and prepare for the next snap. Same in the 4-man game, LJ and Umpire count the defense early. Many Umpires will then also count the offense, but the key is an early count and signal.
7-Person Mechanics Meeting – If you are one of those selected to work a championship or semifinal game, you will be working 7-Person Mechanics. All officials working a championship or semifinal shall attend a special 7-Person Mechanics Meeting on Wednesday November 18th at 7:00 pm at the Mira Mesa High School Library. Chain crews and timers are not to attend this meeting. You will receive credentials, game information, and then break out into position meetings.
Incomplete pass or Fumble? – We have a very good example of this difficult call in our Instructional Video this week. Remember passing the ball is throwing a ball that is in player possession. If the ball has come loose in the QB’s hand before he/she begins the forward motion of the hand or arm, then the result will be a fumble. A forward pass is thrown with its initial direction toward the opponent’s end line. And finally, if the potential passer is contacted, and the ball is released, it is a forward pass if the arm was moving forward on contact. It’s not just the hand moving forward, it could be the QB’s elbow and arm are moving forward. Re-read Rule 2-31.
The Holder – We all know that Rule 4-2-2 EXCEPTION states that the ball remains live if a holder with his knee(s) on the ground receives the snap and places it for a place kick or rises to advance, hand, kick or pass the ball. But what if the snap is an “errant snap”? And what is the definition of an errant snap? Again, we have an example in our Instructional Video for this week where the snap is a bit low, and the holder muffs the ball. After doing some research, I’ve discovered that unless the holder possesses the snap and then fumbles the ball, all other muffs must be considered “errant snaps.” So if an errant snap occurs, like in the video, and the holder muffs the snap, he can rise and catch or recover the errant snap and immediately return to the ground and place the ball for a kick or again rise to advance, hand, kick or pass.
The End of the Season - As we near the end of the 2026 season, let's remember what the SDCFOA is all about, and what we mean to each other. Attached is Day's Dozen which I received recently. It puts into words what we are all about in our Organization and how we strive to be the best at all times! Finish Strong!
