SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOOTBALL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION - THE WEEKLY BULL - August 6, 2025
Everyone Meets at Mira Mesa This Week! – All classes will meet this week. Agenda: Attendance (check for accuracy and add your clinic attendance), Review the Bull, Food For Thought, Calibration, Instructional video. The1st year class will have their own agenda.
1st Year and 2nd Year Numbers – We have a good solid 34 in our 1st year class and another solid 28 in our 2nd year and transfer class. A good recruiting and retention effort by our officials. Very special thanks to Dave Garza and Mile Bailey for their follow-up and hard work! We expect an even larger 1st year class next year!
From Our Assignor – Accept your assignments. Do so as soon as you get the notice from Arbiter.
Coaches Comments from Conference Meetings – Not much in the way of questions but we did discuss the new rules and sideline conferences with the head coach always being at the sideline.
Crew Communication Can Be Visual – Have you ever thought about how we communicate with our eyes? Sometimes you can see from the expression on your crewmate’s face that he needs help, or is confirming what you have, or that he agrees with the umpire’s penalty enforcement information before stepping off the yardage.
Player’s Visual Communication – Do you look for tendencies from teams and players. Sometimes we can pick up important clues from our mid-week scouting. Watch the interior linemen’s helmets. Many times, a head up indicates he’s going to step back and pass block. Head down can mean he’s going to fire out and run block. They also can be found leaning slightly forward on running plays, and slightly backwards on pass plays. How about the location of the running back? If they are even with the QB in shotgun, or in front of the QB, he most likely will be blocking. If he’s lined up slightly behind the QB is might be a run. Check it out and be alert for these tendencies.
Certified and 2nd Year and Transfer Officials Mechanics Exam On-Line – It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that officials complete the exam individually, but DO NOT SUBMIT. Then meet, phone call, zoom with crew or other officials to review answers to the exam before submitting. The window for the on-line Mechanics Exam closes this Sunday night 8/10 at midnight.
Flag Football Rules and Mechanics Exam – This 50-item test will also be an on-line test, and you should follow the same protocol as the previous test. Complete the test on your own but do not submit. Then review your answers with your crew or another official(s). Then hit submit! The window for the Flag Rules and Mechanics Test will be Sunday 8/10 – Friday 8/15. This is a shorter window, but you should have plenty of time for 50 true-false questions. If you do not take and pass this test then your flag assignments will cease!
Belt Button For Radios – Some of us have been using an adapter for radios that places a button on our belts we push when we want to talk on our radios. It replaces the button on our collars which some find awkward to use. If you’re interested, here is the link to the website for more information or to order one. https://www.goodcallofficiating.com/speakeasy
Send Foul Reports to Bezverkov – Remember to have someone on your crew send your tabulated fouls from your game to Robert so he can enter into the database. This will help us in our work so please have someone do this for your crew! Thank you.
Thank You Scott Reilly – Every year we have our Division 1 and NFL officials provide position clinic instruction. This year was no different as last week Scott Reilly presented on his work as a line of scrimmage official in the BIG12. The PowerPoint and the video of the clinic have been added to our website. Thank you, Scott!
Non-Compliant Players – If you were to get into a situation where a player is being non-compliant with your directions, please do not grab or place your hands on that player. Ultimately, you can penalize the player for unsportsmanlike behavior which places the player at risk of disqualification. But, placing a hand on the player now opens up a very different conversation.
Drones – Just a reminder that the FAA and CIF do not allow drones to be flown over stadium events including football games. If they fly beforehand to get shots for some other purpose, that’s fine. But when we take the field, no drones. If there are any issues with this directive, or any other part of game administration, please inform Steve Coover as he serves as our CIF Liaison.
SDCFOA Officer Positions – Association Officers are elected every year. If you are interested in running for Secretary, Treasurer, Assignment Secretary, or Instructional Chair, please inform our President, Robin House, and our Executive Secretary, Ed Zapolski by August 31st.
Food for Thought – 21. Any live-ball foul is penalized from the basic spot per Rule 10-4 unless otherwise specified by rule.
22. It is illegal substitution to have 12 or more players participating at the snap or free kick.
23. An inadvertent whistle does not end the down.
24. The penalty for a chop block is 10 yards.
25. If R1 blocks K1's punt and just before R1 recovers in K's end zone, there is an inadvertent whistle, the down will be replayed.
26. Following a scrimmage kick by K1, the loose ball play ends when R1 touches the kick.
27. A player who is eligible at the start of the down remains eligible throughout the down.
28. Illegal participation can be a nonplayer foul.
29. Players are not required to wear knee pads.
30. Effective 2026, arm sleeves, whether attached to a shirt or unattached, manufactured to enhance contact with the football or opponent must meet the SFIA Specification at the time of manufacture.
