Mechanics of Officiating
• The 3 basic positions and their responsibilities
• Referee
• Back Judge
• Head Linesman
Mechanics of Officiating
• All officials have equal
jurisdiction in calling
penalties.
• Only the whistle kills
the play.
• Insure that you see the
ball and the touch.
• Penalties that occur
during the play do NOT
stop the play.
G
10
20
R
O
30
LoS
40
O
O
X
X
X
•
•
•
C
O
R
O
O
HL
X
QB
BJ
X
the “officials triangle”
G
10
R
20
O
30
LoS
40
O
O
X
X
X
•
•
•
C
O
R
O
O
HL
X
QB
BJ
X
R Duties on
Scrimmage Play
Referee
G
10
R
20
O
30
O
O
LoS
40
X
X
X
•
•R
•
C
O
O
QB
BJ
O
X
X
• Set bean bags
• Announce down
• Whistle the play in/start 20
second play clock
• Count defensive players
• Indicate when 5 seconds are left
on 20 second play clock
• Watch for interference on rush
• Look for remote zone
HL interference / rough play
• Look for pass interference
• Watch for tags and rough tags
• After whistle: Reset bags if
appropriate
G
10
20
R
O
30
LoS
40
O
O
X
X
X
•
•
•
C
O
R
O
O
HL
X
QB
BJ
X
HL coverage area
G
10
R
20
O
30
LoS
40
O
O
X
X
X
•
•
•
C
O
R
O
O
X
QB
BJ
X
HL
HL Duties on
Scrimmage Play
HL position
G
10
R
20
O
30
LoS
40
O
O
X
X
X
•
•
•
C
O
R O
O
X
QB
BJ
X
• Watch for offsides
• Watch R for lining
up offside
• Move at least as far
as 1st down bag
or…move downfield
with play, watching
for infractions and
spot of ball
HL
Special Situations for HL
• Punts
• Goal Line Plays
– Goal Line becomes 1°
– Hold the LoS until you are
responsibility
certain that the ball will
– When the ball is snapped,
cross the LoS, in flight.
move downfield but hold at
– If the punt is good, hustle
the Goal Line.
downfield and get parallel
– You must determine the
to the ball carrier, and
forward point of the ball
follow them.
when the player is tagged.
– Call “no yards” where
If it breaks the plane of the
goal…touchdown!
applicable
– The above applies on
convert attempts.
G
10
20
R
O
30
LoS
40
O
O
X
X
X
•
•
•
C
O
R
O
O
HL
X
QB
BJ
X
Back Judge coverage area
G
10
R
20
O
30
LoS
40
O
O
X
X
X
•
•
•
C
O
R
O
O
HL
X
QB
BJ
X
BJ Duties on
Scrimmage Play
•
•
•
•
G
10
R
20
O
30
O
O
LoS
40
X
X
X
•
•R
•
C
QB
O
O
O
X
BJ
Back Judge Position
X
•
•
HL
•
•
Count offensive players
Note side R is on.
Watch for double rush
Watch for interference on rush or
remote zone interference on
center
Watch for QB tags and rough tags
Signal direction of pass (on or
offside)
If QB scrambles and throws note
point of release (was he over the
LoS?)
After whistle: Give bags to R if
appropriate
BJ & HL coverage
areas and position
G
10
R
20
O
30
LoS
40
O
O
X
X
X
•
•
•
C
QB
O
R
O
O
X
BJ
X
HL
Kick off set up
G
O
O
10
R
O
20
O
O
30
O
O
40
BJ
50
C
X
X
X
•
K
X
X
X
HL
Kick off set up
G
O
O
10
R
O
20
O
O
30
O
O
40
BJ
50
C
X
X
X
•
K
X
X
X
HL
•HL moves downfield after
determining there has been
no offsides.
•Call tags & rough play
WATCH for ROUGH PLAY!
G
O
O
10
•BJ moves downfield after
determining the kick has
travelled 20 yards, keeping
outside the widest player on
the receiving team.
•Call tags & rough play
•R moves behind ball
carrier to watch for
touch.
•Signals onside or
offside pass.
R
O
20
O
O
30
O
O
40
BJ
50
C
X
X
X
•
K
X
X
X
HL
G
10
20
O
30
LoS
40
O
O
X
X
X
•
•
•
C
QB
O
R
O
O
X
X
G
10
20
O
30
LoS
40
O
O
X
X
X
•
•
•
C
QB
O
R
O
O
X
X
G
10
20
30
40
G
10
20
30
40
G
10
20
30
40
G
10
20
30
40
G
10
20
30
40
50
base text
G
10
20
30
40
base diagram
G
10
20
30
40