SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOOTBALL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION - THE WEEKLY BULL - July 22, 2026
We All Meet This Wednesday at Mira Mesa – All classes meet this week at Mira Mesa. The Crew Chief Meeting will start at 6:00 pm in room 708. All other meetings will begin in your regular classrooms at 7:00 pm. Let’s strive for great attendance again this season. See you in class!
Agenda – Attendance, The Bull, Food for Thought, Instructional Video, Calibration Video,
Instructional Video and Calibration Video – These videos usually come out on Monday or Tuesday. Take the time to view each of them at a deliberate pace. You will see things that may be important and not noticed by others including Coover (myself). Only by previewing the video will you get the full benefit of its contents. You may find the Calibration plays quite challenging. They are meant to be! When you view them remember the three steps to determining if there is a foul. 1) See an indicator of a possible foul (catches our attention). 2) See the indicator elevate into a clear, material restriction or advantage gained. 3) Check to see if the restriction or advantage gained has a material effect on the outcome of the play. Each time, Dave Garza will post the results on the website. www.sdcfoa.org
Clarification of Last Year’s Foul Data – Thank you, Robert Bezverkov, for sharing this final report comparing the average number of fouls each week from the 2023 season through last year 2025. He also added a Crews Only calculation. Please note that the totals are cumulative, in that week #1 is be itself, but week #2 is a combination of week #1 and week #2. So, Week #11 is a final combination of all weeks 1-11. As you can see we did well ending the season under 14 fouls per game. We will be reporting fouls to Robert each week so organize your crew to get this information to Robert in a timely manner. Week 2023 2024 2025 crews only 1 13.94 14.01 14.66 15.24 2 13.36 13.27 14.58 15.20 3 13.47 13.00 14.92 15.77 4 13.42 13.30 14.80 15.35 5 13.33 12.72 14.29 14.79 6 13.91 13.22 14.36 14.63 7 14.22 13.26 14.25 14.47 8 13.97 13.27 14.26 14.49 9 13.99 13.10 14.28 14.40 10 14.15 12.95 14.27 14.34 11 13.96 12.95 13.90 13.88
July 29th On-Field Position Clinics – On July 29th, while the 1st year and 2nd year and transfers are meeting in their regular classrooms, all certified officials will meet in the stands of the Mira Mesa HS football stadium. We will gather on the home field side in the stands. At 7:00 we will break into four (4) groups. The Crew Chiefs and Developmental Crew Chiefs will go with Ted Schiess, Rob Schierer, and Matt Starr to the press box to practice setting up their wireless equipment. Thank you to Matt Rice who will also assist in this demonstration. The Umpires will head to the North end zone for instruction from Garth DeFelice, while the Back Judges will go to the South end zone for instruction from Don Carey. All flanks will go to the visitor’s sideline to receive instruction from Tim Podraza. Some have requested more on-field instruction via our Association Survey, so we are excited to provide the best on-field instructors we have!
Classroom Credit for Clinics – If you attend a clinic, or watch the video of a clinic, made sure you mark your attendance sheet so you get credit for it. Place your X in the clinic column over to the right side of the attendance sheet.
Equipment Card – In San Diego we use an Equipment Card for pre-game inspection of player equipment. The Equipment Card can be found on the website www.sdcfoa.org under Instructional tab. Look for Game Cards. Each flank notes any player equipment that is illegal or currently being worn illegally during the warmup period. When the flank completes their card for their team, the completed card is presented to their head coach. This is a change in mechanics this year. Each flank should also include their Umpire when they present the card to the head coach. This serves as the warning. Finally, the first series for each team, including kick off, make sure to send out any player not properly equipped. After that, any equipment issue will jump out at you, as the bulk of your work in this area has been completed. If we discover a coach and team which is completely defiant and uncooperative, we must report that situation to the CIF Section Office. So far, that number is a very small number in each of our sections and our Section Offices will be of assistance, if we are being consistent and from the very start of the season.
Q Collar, Guardian Caps and Protective Shells – These safety items have been ruled legal by the NFHS and may be worn in games. The Q Collar is worn around the neck and is meant to lessen the risk of concussions. The Guardian Cap and Protective Shell have the same purpose but are worn over the shell of the helmet. All are legal to be worn in a game.
Fitness - Scrimmages are four weeks away! You want to look good out there so update your uniform, tailor those pants, and keep up your fitness routine. Don’t forget to hydrate in this heat starting the day before the scrimmage and provide time for your stretching routine to prevent injury.
San Diego CIF 25-Yardline Overtime Procedures – Overtime is mandatory for all varsity games in San Diego County CIF (varsity level only!). There are no options. Any varsity game for any sized division, must use the 25-yardline tiebreaker when the game ends in a tie score at the end of regulation. The result will be a win or a loss. The procedure can be found on our website under RULES. No changes to the procedure.
Out-of-Town Teams – When a team from out-of-town comes to San Diego to play, they are playing by the CIDSDS rules. That includes mandatory overtime. Teams from out of CA may also be surprised that we have a Mercy Rule in CA, and that a player who exhibits signs or symptoms consistent with a concussion is disqualified for the remainder of the game. Those are the 1- SD and 2 - CA possible differences. They may be included in your pre-game meeting with the coach.
Tips for Communicating with Head Coaches: - Never, never, never ignore a coach’s request. You may have to inform the coach that you will have to wait a play or two to get the information to-or-from the other officials, but never ignore!. - Make eye contact. A coach wants to be assured that he has your attention. - Avoid “squaring off with the coach” rather, turn your body slightly at an angle. - Refer to the coach as “Coach” or “Coach Jones”. - Keep your communication brief and formal. - Avoid joking and sarcasm. - Adopt a neutral tone and avoid any personal remarks. - Stick to the issue at hand in a straightforward way. - Ask them to help with a problem player. Be sure to identify the problem in explicit terms, without making the player to be an evil person. Sometimes it’s hard to do, but it can be accomplished with a careful choice of language. - Remember: get used to the coach having the last say. This will most likely end the conversation. - Remain calm under all circumstances. Let coaches have their say. When a coach approaches to protest or argue, adopt an instant “listening mode” and let the aggrieved individual finish his remarks. Don’t interrupt. - Use non-confrontational body language. To be aware of body posture, facial expression, head tilt and arm position, one must say, “I am going to appear receptive and contemplative. I can think best and measure my words that way. I am determined to not escalate the problem.” - If you make a mistake, admit it. A simple apology is sufficient; do not elaborate or rationalize (i.e. make excuses) - When a coach raises their voice, lower yours. A soft voice has a way of triggering a reciprocal soft reply. - Support fellow officials. Never betray partners by showing that you doubt their judgment. Instead, indicate faith in someone else’s decision by saying the partner had a better view of a more favorable angle than the responding official or partner. - Give praises to promote sportsmanship. When a coach makes a gesture of consideration for the opponents or towards the official, be sure to acknowledge it. Sometimes a smile and nod of the head are enough. - Keep your ego under control. Often a mere glance will carry a significant message, whether it’s negative or positive, whether it is meant to curtail dialogue or to encourage it. A quizzical expression can signal a desire for additional input, whereas a frown may denote closure. - Don’t use your hands when talking to a coach. Your gestures will reveal more than you’ll want to convey.
Food for Thought – This year we will be increasing our rules study. Here are 10 quick quiz questions on the new rules for 2026.
No player participating in the game will be allowed to wear any type of audio or video device in order to record or transmit audio or video. 1-5-3c(3)
A state association may not establish guidelines to use a running clock when a point differential is reached. TABLE 1-7 (10), 3-1-
Play cards may not be worn on the belt. 1-5-3c(9)
A disqualified player can be permitted to remain in the team box area. 2-32-6
Following an interception, it is legal for the intercepting team to block below the waist. 2-3-7, 9-3-2
If A2 pushes, pulls or lifts runner A1 to assist their forward progress, it is a foul which carries a 10-yard penalty. 9-1 PENALTY
The jurisdiction of the game officials is terminated and the final score has been approved when all game officials leave the visual confines of the playing area. 1-1-8
Items that are attached to the tooth and mouth protector that do not serve a purpose and function in protecting the teeth or mouth is not allowed. 1-5-1d(5)a-4
A penalty is a result imposed by rule against a team or team member that has committed a foul. 2-16-1, 2-16-5
A player is no longer defenseless once the player's physical position and focus of concentration no longer makes the player especially vulnerable to injury. 2-32-16
