I’m so sick and tired of reading (and writing) about non-football topics, I felt the need to at least attempt to get some substantive high school football conversation going.
The referee on the game you’re watching is the guy in the offensive backfield With the white hat. He’s the quarterback of the crew. If you have a crew member who might be a little weak, possibly due to inexperience, there are ways to try and “hide” him, although it’s impossible to do that indefinitely on a 5 person crew. But the R position is not a place you can hide.
Like the QB of the teams, the R often gets too much credit when the team succeeds, and too much blame when they don’t. So, how do you, sitting in the stands (or prowling the sideline), know when the R is a good one, or may struggle if challenged? Here are some nuances you probably wouldn’t pick up ordinarily. But if the R is consistently getting these little things right, he’s very likely to be getting the big things right — and seeing that the rest of the crew does, too.
Watch the R’s head when the QB releases the ball. Does it stay locked on the QB? Or can you see the head turn to follow the flight of the ball? Everyone else in the place will watch the ball. But R’s focus has to remain on the QB. I guarantee you that if the QB’s coach looks back and sees his kid on the ground, you’re going to have to have an explanation for how he got there.
Does R Mark the spot of a fumble in the backfield with his beanbag? Contrary to popular belief, this is bad mechanics. The purpose of bagging the spot of a fumble (or backward pass) is to have a spot from which to enforce the penalty for certain fouls that may occur before or during a loose ball. But if possession is lost behind the neutral zone, under NF rules that spot can never be an enforcement spot. So, if you see R’s beanbag come out on a fumble behind the LOS, he’s telling you he does things without knowing the underlying reasons. Always a bad sign.
Does R let the passer cross his face on a rollout or scramble? R always assumes an initial position on the passer’s throwing side. There’s a reason for that: it is the best position from which to judge whether a loose ball is a forward pass vs. a fumble, arguably the toughest judgment call R has to make. It’s important to maintain that position as long as possible when the QB moves toward you. Good R’s will fight to maintain that relationship as long as possible.
Does R go into the sideline on wide plays? The R is not normally involved in activity right around the dead ball spot unless the play ends in the offensive backfield. But a good R will help on plays that go into the sideline at the LOS or a short distance downfield. The wing official must maintain the out of bounds spot, and R should go past him, into the sideline, to make sure any players of the opposing team who went into the sideline come out without incident. It’s more than just hustle. It’s good dead ball officiating. And it’s a critical skill.
Does R signal his “count” early and clearly. One of R’s primary responsibilities is to count the offensive players on every play, and signal his count to his wing officials. If R signals that there are 11 on offense, the wing officials then count the players in the backfield in order to determine legality of formation. In this day of specialty substitutions, no-huddle and up tempo offenses, it has become more important than ever that R get this done as early as possible, and let those wing officials know so they can go about the rest of their business.
Does R signal crisply and properly? Believe it or not, good R’s practice signaling in front of a mirror. Do the arms go straight up when signaling a score, or do the elbows bend ? Does he wait to stop moving before starting to signal? Is he giving a preliminary signal to the press box when appropriate? Does he always use the dead ball signal for fouls prior to the snap, and after the play is over?
Does R get the timing rules right? Last year in the playoffs — a sectional final and a regional — I saw 2 different R’s start the game clock after an accepted penalty for delay of game. An absolute no-no, and a dead giveaway that R has not done a deep dive into the rulebook recently.
Now, since you know these “tricks of the trade” for the R position, when the loudmouth next to you starts dogging the R, you don’t have to take his word for it. An informed fan is a better fan.
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Bobref
I’m so sick and tired of reading (and writing) about non-football topics, I felt the need to at least attempt to get some substantive high school football conversation going.
The referee on the game you’re watching is the guy in the offensive backfield With the white hat. He’s the quarterback of the crew. If you have a crew member who might be a little weak, possibly due to inexperience, there are ways to try and “hide” him, although it’s impossible to do that indefinitely on a 5 person crew. But the R position is not a place you can hide.
Like the QB of the teams, the R often gets too much credit when the team succeeds, and too much blame when they don’t. So, how do you, sitting in the stands (or prowling the sideline), know when the R is a good one, or may struggle if challenged? Here are some nuances you probably wouldn’t pick up ordinarily. But if the R is consistently getting these little things right, he’s very likely to be getting the big things right — and seeing that the rest of the crew does, too.
Now, since you know these “tricks of the trade” for the R position, when the loudmouth next to you starts dogging the R, you don’t have to take his word for it. An informed fan is a better fan.
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