As we move through the playoffs, fans (and coaches) are likely to see an increased emphasis by officials on sideline control. There are 2 reasons for this:
The deeper we get into the playoffs, the better the officiating crews. And one of the hallmarks of the better crews is that they pay attention to details.
Big Brother is watching, and by that, I mean the IHSAA. Sideline management and control is a HUGE point of emphasis with them. As an observer, I have strict instructions to downgrade crews who don’t keep their sidelines clean.
So, perhaps a review of the applicable rules is in order. Let’s start with some definitions.
The Team Box is an area that runs from 25 yd. line to 25 yd. line, and is a minimum of 2 yds. from the sideline. It extends as far back as there is room. All nonplayers, i.e., team members not in the game, trainers, statisticians, coaches, auxiliary game personnel, and any others affiliated with the team are supposed to stay in there.
The Coaches’ Area is a belt that runs from 25 yd. line to 25 yd. line, and begins at the sideline and extends at least 2 yds., to the front edge of the team box. A maximum of 3 coaches are allowed in the Coaches’ Area when the ball is dead. No one else is allowed in the Coaches Area (except for officials). No ball boys, chain crew members, stats keepers, etc. They all have to be at least 2 yds off the sideline at all times.
The Restricted Area is the same as the Coaches’ Area, except that the ball is alive. Absolutely no one except officials are allowed in the Restricted Area. No coaches, ball boys, chain crew members, anyone. Absolutely verboten. There is supposed to be a broken white line all the way around the field 2 yds. from the sideline (outside the team boxes), a continuation of the Restricted Area, which is off limits to everyone except the officials.
Now that we’ve got terms defined, here are the rules that are implicated:
A nonplayer shall not be outside his team box unless to become a player or to return as a replaced player. So, if a player in uniform ventures outside the team box, or a coach, or anyone else affiliated with the team, the sideline warning procedure is invoked. On the first violation, there will be a flag, but there is no distance penalty. The second violation earns a 5 yd. penalty. Third and subsequent violations are a 15 yd. penalty.
No one can be in the restricted area when the ball is alive, except the officials. Violation starts the sideline warning procedure described above.
if anyone is in the restricted area while the ball is alive, and makes unintentional contact with an official, that is a 15 yd. illegal personal contact foul. If it happens a second time, it’s another 15 yds. and disqualification of the head coach.
Finally, no nonplayer, Coach, attendant, etc., is allowed on the field except during a charged or officials timeout, or the intermission between periods or after a score. Violation is a 15 yd. penalty.
What about the very common practice of a coach coming a few steps onto the field to give the next play to his QB? By rule, it’s a foul. Now, most crews will let this go if it’s very brief, only a couple of steps, and the coach promptly retreats to the Coaches’ Area. But it’s important to realize the coach does this at the sufferance of the officials. It’s not an entitlement. And it shouldn’t be abused. 1 coach, a few steps, in order to communicate with a player, and very brief.
Those are the sideline management and control rules. Unfortunately, they are too often honored only in the breach. This leads to a fair degree of inconsistency from crew to crew, which then leads to hard feelings from coaches when someone actually enforces the rules correctly. But that is likely to change as we advance further toward Thanksgiving weekend.
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Bobref
As we move through the playoffs, fans (and coaches) are likely to see an increased emphasis by officials on sideline control. There are 2 reasons for this:
So, perhaps a review of the applicable rules is in order. Let’s start with some definitions.
The Team Box is an area that runs from 25 yd. line to 25 yd. line, and is a minimum of 2 yds. from the sideline. It extends as far back as there is room. All nonplayers, i.e., team members not in the game, trainers, statisticians, coaches, auxiliary game personnel, and any others affiliated with the team are supposed to stay in there.
The Coaches’ Area is a belt that runs from 25 yd. line to 25 yd. line, and begins at the sideline and extends at least 2 yds., to the front edge of the team box. A maximum of 3 coaches are allowed in the Coaches’ Area when the ball is dead. No one else is allowed in the Coaches Area (except for officials). No ball boys, chain crew members, stats keepers, etc. They all have to be at least 2 yds off the sideline at all times.
The Restricted Area is the same as the Coaches’ Area, except that the ball is alive. Absolutely no one except officials are allowed in the Restricted Area. No coaches, ball boys, chain crew members, anyone. Absolutely verboten. There is supposed to be a broken white line all the way around the field 2 yds. from the sideline (outside the team boxes), a continuation of the Restricted Area, which is off limits to everyone except the officials.
Now that we’ve got terms defined, here are the rules that are implicated:
A nonplayer shall not be outside his team box unless to become a player or to return as a replaced player. So, if a player in uniform ventures outside the team box, or a coach, or anyone else affiliated with the team, the sideline warning procedure is invoked. On the first violation, there will be a flag, but there is no distance penalty. The second violation earns a 5 yd. penalty. Third and subsequent violations are a 15 yd. penalty.
No one can be in the restricted area when the ball is alive, except the officials. Violation starts the sideline warning procedure described above.
if anyone is in the restricted area while the ball is alive, and makes unintentional contact with an official, that is a 15 yd. illegal personal contact foul. If it happens a second time, it’s another 15 yds. and disqualification of the head coach.
Finally, no nonplayer, Coach, attendant, etc., is allowed on the field except during a charged or officials timeout, or the intermission between periods or after a score. Violation is a 15 yd. penalty.
What about the very common practice of a coach coming a few steps onto the field to give the next play to his QB? By rule, it’s a foul. Now, most crews will let this go if it’s very brief, only a couple of steps, and the coach promptly retreats to the Coaches’ Area. But it’s important to realize the coach does this at the sufferance of the officials. It’s not an entitlement. And it shouldn’t be abused. 1 coach, a few steps, in order to communicate with a player, and very brief.
Those are the sideline management and control rules. Unfortunately, they are too often honored only in the breach. This leads to a fair degree of inconsistency from crew to crew, which then leads to hard feelings from coaches when someone actually enforces the rules correctly. But that is likely to change as we advance further toward Thanksgiving weekend.
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