SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOOTBALL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION - THE WEEKLY BULL – July 29, 2026
1st and 2nd Year Classes – Meet at Mira Mesa – You will again meet at Mira Mesa at 7:00 pm. Make sure you come early to see Bob Hood and his merchandise for sale. Bob will not be selling after the meeting, so do your shopping beforehand. Your attendance has been outstanding. Keep it up! 4. All Certified Officials On-Field Clinic - This week all certified officials will meet in the football stadium at Mira Mesa HS at 7:00 pm. Please meet in the stands in the Northeast corner, just north of the press box. Everyone will then break out into position clinics. Referees will go with Ted Schiess, Rob Schaerer and Matt Starr to the press box to discuss and present installation and use of the stadium microphones. Umpires will all go with Garth DeFelice to the North end of the field, Line of Scrimmage officials will all go with Tim Podraza to the West sidelines for instruction, and the Back Judges will go with Don Carey to the South end of the field. Emphasis will be placed on instruction on proper positioning and improving vision mechanics (zone responsibilities).
Garth DeFelice Art McNally Award Winner – Congratulations to Garth DeFelice, the 2026 winner of the NFL’s Art McNally Award – honoring his professionalism, leadership, and commitment to sportsmanship both on the field and in the community! The award was presented to Garth at the NFL’s annual Officiating Clinic by former NFL referee and SDCFOA member Mike Carey! SDCFOA is so proud of Garth’s work on behalf of our great game, and his professionalism and willingness to “give back” to the Association, just like he will be doing this week at the On-Field Clinic. George Schutte would be so proud of you, Garth!
Officiating Fees 2026 – The following fees are in effect this year. The travel reimbursements are not included here. Thank you, Matt Starr, for negotiating on our behalf and thank you CIF for understanding the need for these increases.
Girls’ Flag Football Varsity Ref $80 Varsity Other $75 JV Referee $77 JV Other $74
Tackle Football V Referee $150 V Other (4) $148 JV / Frosh Referee $101 JV/ Frosh Other $99
Old Shirts - Just a quick reminder to bring your old shirts to Mira Mesa Blvd for Wednesday’s on field clinic. Those shirts will be collected and distributed to officials who still use them in other sports.
Testing – Everyone has passed the Tackle and Flag Rules Tests when you completed the CIF Regisgration. That just leaves the Flag and Tackle Mechanics exams. We will get these to you soon.
Wilson Football – The Wilson Football will be the official football for the San Diego Section playoffs. A Wilson football is required to be used in all rounds of the playoffs.
Home School Information – This data base has been neglected for several years. If you go to use the template from the website, it too has not been updated in several years. We would like to continue this data base as a resource to officials when working games at a particular school, but we need to have it accessible to all officials who are doing outreach to the schools for their crews. That way, officials with access can “update” the info when it is discovered to be inaccurate. We do this with the Wireless Microphone google doc, and the AD and Head Coach google doc. I have made this Home School Info google doc available to all crew chiefs who have a google account. If you don’t, find someone on your crew and get them to contact me (Coover) for access. In the meantime, I need a volunteer to update the information prior to the start of the season. If you are fairly proficient with google docs and data entry, please contact me and I will get you started! Thank you. - Coov
Aiding the Runner - Aiding the runner will be enforced if we see planned plays where the running back lines up behind the QB and just runs forward, places hands on the back of the QB and pushes, like The Philadelphia Eagles do with Jalen Hurts. But it is legal to push the pile. If there is a question if the teammate is pushing the pile or pushing the QB, we will go with pushing the pile. Remember – be consistent as an Association. 5-yard penalty – Signal 44
Communication Between Coaches and Officials – Coaches were told that we greatly respect the work that the head coach puts into preparing and managing his team. For that reason, we make every effort to communicate with him, answer questions, provide explanations and listen to his complaints in full. as long as they are not unsportsmanlike and the coach is not on the field and objecting. CIF wants us to penalize unsportsmanlike outbursts and demonstrations on the field by any coach. But we have a high tolerance for our head coaches. CIF has also asked us to inform the head coach if an assistant is questioning the work of the officials and acting unsportsmanlike. This gives the head coach an opportunity to correct the situation. If it continues, we are to penalize as directed by the Commissioners.
Problems with Your Coach – If you have a problem with your coach let your referee know. One of the biggest complaints I get from coaches is that the flanks do not communicate their coach’s concerns to the referee. This builds frustration and adds to the original issue. By the time the referee does get to the sideline he now has to deal with an upset and frustrated coach. There shall be two officials present for all meetings between the referee and the head coach, but only one speaks – the referee!
Game Management – The referee, and both flank officials, should know who the game administration will be for the home team, and hopefully, for both teams. Find out if they will be stationed somewhere so that, if needed, you can find them.
George Schutte – George Schutte was the designer of our instructional program and always taught us that the instructional program does not begin nor end in the classroom. You must study outside the classroom each week. Have you opened your rule book or case book this week? You need to read a small section each week! Then you continue your learning during the halftime and post-game meetings on Friday nights! Post games are critical! Then you continue your learning and teaching on Saturdays as you work with other officials including our new ones. Finally, we attend our classes and participate in the sessions with questions and note taking. This was George’s design, and it works if you engage with discipline!
Food For Thought 1. No player may use the hand(s) to slap the opponent's head. True 9-4-7
2. A forward-pass interference foul can occur only beyond the neutral zone. True FUNDAMENTAL VII-5
3. No kick may be legally batted. False FUNDAMENTAL IV-6, IX-3, 9-7-2 EXCEPTION
4. A scrimmage formation requires a minimum of five A players legally on their line at the snap. True 2-14-1, 7-2-5
5. After the ready-for-play, each player of A who participated in the previous down and each substitute for A must have been, momentarily, between the 9-yard marks, before the snap. True 7-2-1
6. If end A1 voluntarily goes out of bounds and immediately returns during the down, it is illegal participation. True 9-6-1, 9-6 PENALTY
7. A, 1/10, B-25. QB A1 pitches the ball to A21 who runs to the B-20 and fumbles. The ball rolls out of bounds at the B-18. The next play will be: A, 2/5, B-20 (3-4-3) When a forward fumble goes out of bounds between the goal lines, the ball will be returned to the spot of the fumble.
8. A, 1/10, A-20. QB A1 throws a pass to A2 and is caught at the A-30. Team B had 10 players on the field at the snap. B9, realizing he should be on the field, runs on to the field at the A-30 and tackles A2 at the A-40. The next play will be A, 1/10, B-45. True (9-6 Penalty) Illegal Participation is a 15-yard penalty, but this is a Team B foul during Team A’s run, so the basic spot is the end of the run, which is where the penalty will be enforced.
9. A, 1/G, B-5. QB A1 pitches the ball to A21 who runs to the B-3 and fumbles. The ball rolls into the endzone and out across the endline. The next play will be: Touchback. B, 1/10, B-20
10. A, 1/10, A-4. QB A1 pitches the ball at the A-2 to A21 who muffs the pitch. The ball goes out of bounds in the endzone, across the sideline. The next play will be: Safety. K, Free Kick, K-20 The new forward fumble rule applies to forward fumbles that go out of bounds between the goal lines. In Q9, the ball was fumbled in the field of play, but enters the endzone. In Q10, the ball entered the endzone via a backwards pass. The new forward fumble rules do not apply when the ball becomes dead while in the endzone.
