Weekly Bull 9/15/21

SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOOTBALL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION

THE WEEKLY BULL - September. 15, 2021

Meeting Agenda – Attendance (confirm your attendance and test score records are accurate); Bull; Calibration; Instructional Video; Sharing of Plays and Situations. 

SDCFOA Youth Fund – We now have formal, financial commitments to the fund from all of the NFL and now, all of the NCAA D1 officials.  This will significantly help us as we approach our major fundraising events this season.

BJ’s Restaurant Fundraiser is Back! – The flyer is attached and 20% of your final bill will be donated by BJ’s to the Youth Fund.  Thank you, Bob Hood for setting this up again.

Week #5 – We are almost half way through the season already.  Make every snap count because it will be over before you know it.

Illegal Motion - There are only three illegal motion penalties:

1. Motion is toward opponent’s goal line

2. Two players in motion at the snap (if one stops then it would be illegal shift)

3. Player in motion who was on the LOS when he started and who is not 5-yards behind his LOS at the snap.

The Kicking Game Outline – Thank you Kevin Haws, for creating and sharing this document which summarizes the rules that govern the kicking game.  Feel free to use it, or parts of it, in your pregame this week and thereafter.  It’s a critical part of the game which we must master!

The Clock is a Crew Mechanic – Here are just two examples of when an official is the primary official on the crew for monitoring the clock:

• Time Out - If you award a time out you are the primary official to be sure clock is stopped and the correct time if it doesn’t stop right away.

• Penalty - If you call a foul, you are the primary official to be sure clock is stopped and the correct time if it doesn’t stop.

You may be the ONLY official on the crew that as knowledge of the instant a time out or foul have been called!

Failed PAT and Two-Point Conversions – Sometimes coaches get confused with high school, college and NFL rules.  When kicking for the extra point (PAT) and it is obvious that the extra point is not good, then the attempt is over and we blow our whistles and signal time out or no good.  A blocked PAT is obviously unsuccessful so we blow it dead.  Once the defense gets possession of a 2-point attempt, the attempt is unsuccessful and the attempt it over and we blow it dead and signal no good.  If you get confused, don’t blow your whistle because we can always fix it later.  Remember, there are no run backs of PATs or fumbles/interceptions in high school, like there is in college.

Old Ball Down - Following all Change of Possessions; leave the old ball at the dead ball spot until the new ball has been placed down.

Flags and Penalty Enforcements - During all Penalty Enforcements; leave the flag(s) on the ground until the penalty has been marched off/enforced. Multiple fouls for the same foul; match the flags, one on top of the other, this excludes Dead Ball line of scrimmage fouls.  The Back Judge should be involved in the coverage of flags.  Get in and out of Penalty Enforcements, cleanly and efficiently. 

Pre-Snap Preparation

• What is your pre-snap routine? It’s different for each position…have you developed your own? Have you borrowed one from someone else?

• Pre-Snap begins with the previous dead ball period. Be a great dead ball official!

• Don’t be in a hurry to chase the ball. Make sure you’ve completed your dead ball officiating.

• Know your ball mechanics for returning the ball or obtaining a new ball when you’re ready.

• Know the status of the clock. The crew must check the clock during each dead ball period and know how to correct any timing errors…especially at the end of half and game!

• Observe substitutions

• Know & think (down &distance)

• Move to proper position for snap (based upon formation?)

• Count offense or defense (Once? Twice?)

• Recognize formations and strengths of formations

• Identify your key(s) – number(s) – location in formation

• Know team tendencies

• Identify where the best players are in the formation

• Look for mismatches

• You are ready for the snap!! 

Inadvertent Whistles –

1. If during legal forward pass, snap is in flight, or during a legal kick – replay the down.

2. If the ball is in player possession, that team has the choice of possession at the dead ball spot, or replay the down.

3. Same two options for the team last in possession if following a backward pass, fumble or illegal forward pass or illegal kick.

4. Accepted penalties take precedence over an IW 

Eye Black – One single stroke under the eye.  No face paint.  Please enforce in pregame.

Anniversary Awards – If you are celebrating an anniversary of service to SDCFOA, we want to recognize you at the banquet this year.  If your first year of service is 2002, 1992, or 1982, we want to present you with a “Years of Service” award this year.  Please contact Rick Christensen directly at ref.rick85@gmail.com with your information no later than October 8, 2021. 

Nominations for CA State Playoffs – Congratulations to the following officials who have been nominated to work at State Championship Game.  I will publish who has been selected from the amazing group in early October.

Referee: Brian Bortness, Scott Countryman, Dave Garza; Umpire: Scott Carroll, Albert Jones, Sammy Totah; Flanks: Brandon Chavez, John Isham, Charlton Lynch, Matt Starr, Nathan Thernes, Jacob Wittler; Deep Flanks: John Gill, Gary Gittelson, Tyler Lindsay, Brian Mills; BJ: Joe Magnuson, David Middelton.