Weekly Bull 10/2/19

SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOOTBALL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION

THE WEEKLY BULL – October. 2, 2019 

Meeting Agenda – Attendance (confirm your attendance records are accurate); Bull; Calibration; Instructional Video; Sharing of Plays and Situations.  This is a great week for Make Up Tests – If you don’t complete you will not be eligible for playoff games.  Get this done tonight! 

Test Results – We can all be extremely pleased with the results of the rules and mechanics testing.  It is obvious that we’re preparing and reviewing the summer study guides.  Let’s commit to this level of excellence each and every year. 

USD Chain Crew – USD has requested chain crews for its upcoming games on Saturday October 5th, October 19th, November 2nd, and November 16th.  All games start at 1:00pm.  They pay $50 per game.  Contact Mark Lindsay if you’re interested. 

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 formtion

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.

Lower Levels Below Varsity – Captains: coach wants to have a 5th captain, honorary with Down Syndrome go out.  We deny the request.  Please be reasonable here…really?  Lower level games and numbering.  Again, be reasonable.  If it is not too extensive, can we inform the opposing coach and allow, please.  Thank you!

Drop Kicks – These are legal place kicks which can be used on Free Kicks, PATs, and FGs.  The ball is dropped and kick as it strikes the ground.  At this instant, it is as if the ball were on an invisible tee as it is kicked.  Because they are kicked directly into the air, it allows the receiving team an opportunity to fair catch on a kick off.  Do not confuse this kick with a pop up kick that is kicked directly into the ground before becoming airborne.  Pop up kicks are illegal and are shut down immediately.  Drop kicks are legal.

Kick Catch Interference – While K14’s punt is in flight beyond the neutral zone, R23 gives a valid fair catch signal, or does not give a signal.  The ball strikes R23’s shoulder pad and bounces high into the air.  While the loose ball is still airborne, K87 pushes R23 in the chest and K87 catches it at that spot.  Ruling: In both cases, the ball is dead when K87 catches it as K may not advance.  There is no foul for kick-catching interference since R23’s protection ended when the kick was touched.  K’s ball 1st and 10 at the spot where K87 caught the muffed kick.

Expanded Neutral Zone – Can it be expanded up to 2 yards into the end zone?  Answer: NO, the neutral zone may be expanded up to a maximum of 2 yards behind the defensive line of scrimmage, in the field of play.  No ineligibles running around in the endzone please!!!

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 2000, 1990, or 1980, 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 11, 2019. 

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: Terry Bernard, Jimmy Christensen; Umpire: Andre Coleman, Mike Gunzelman; Flanks: Paul Kwiatkowski, Tony Shaw, Moses Moreno, Art Warren; Deep Flanks: Garrett Haislip, Rob Schaerer, Blake Morgan, Ted Schiess; BJ: Mark Halby, Corey Butts 

Crew Chiefs, the Weekly Bulletin, and Video - Crew Chiefs are working extra hard this year to communicate with their crew prior to the next game.  Topics include the Weekly Bulletin, the Weekly Instructional Video, and cut ups from their previous game.  This is a huge time commitment so I hope the crew is pitching in and participating.  We must get better each week!

Inside 5 minutes – I observed several games where the final 3-5 minutes of either half became “pressure cooker.”  Let’s prepare to match this intensity with our own internal communication, or maybe a code word or just a reminder on the radios.  Our focus must be clear and our minds sharp.  Obviously we officiate every play in the game like it’s the last “game winning” play, but sometimes we need a re-set as we prepare for action at this critical time in the game!

The Use of the Whistle – It is our local, state and national mechanic to not blow our whistles unless we see the ball in possession, and progress stopped or the player down by rule.  We do not want inadvertent whistles!

Communication with Players and Coaches – Communicating with players is like communicating with the coaching staffs.  What you say to players is going to be repeated to the coaches.  Please respond to players with facts, or the rule, or “I saw the block and it was close but legal.”  “I was focused on other action on that play, I’ll watch for that foul.” Explain to coaches that “Coach, ti sounds like we saw the play differently.”  “I hear you, I understand.” “What did you see?”  Remember, positive and proper communication starts as we arrive at the school.  Be professional from the time you park your car – Be a Mike Weseloh when it comes to communication!!!

Communication Within the Crew – Feedback from the observers has been very complimentary in this area.  Not only are we communicating consistently and accurately with our supplemental hand signals, we have been very loud and vocal in our communication.  Each individual on the crew can do enormous good for the crew as a whole by participating vocally on every play…down, distance, my goal line, your goal line, the status of the ball relative to the 5-yard mark on the chains, double stakes, wind, no wind, the clock is hot, when to hack relative to the final 25 seconds of the half or game, …the list goes on and on.  Keep yourself and the crew alert on each and every play by communicating loudly and consistently.

CIF San Diego Section Playoff Dates – Planning ahead?  Here are the dates:

Friday November 8 – First Round for Divisions I, II, III, IV and V (OPEN Division BYE)

Friday November 15 – Quarterfinals for Divisions I, II, III, IV and V (Open Division Semifinals)

Friday November 22 – Semifinals for Divisions I, II, III, IV and V

Saturday November 23 – Open Division Finals at Southwestern College

Friday November 29 – Finals for Divisions II, IV at Southwestern College

Friday November 29 – Finals for Division V at Otay Ranch

Saturday November 30 – Finals for Divisions I and III at Southwestern College

California State Bowl Championships

Friday and Saturday December 6 & 7 – Regional Championships

Friday and Saturday December 13 & 14 – State Championships at Cerritos College

October 2 2019
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