Offsides with no flag and after a two minute discussion

[gbjemler]

did not want to post on normal board. Referees have a thankless job and I appreciate what they do for the kids....Peru wins in the end so it does not matter I guess....but....

5 seconds left in regulation at Oak Hill last Friday in semis.  Oak Hill lines up for game winning field goal from inside the 5 yard line. Peru kid seems to time it perfectly and blocks the field goal. Peru scoops and runs the ball all the way back some 90 yards into the end zone.  No flag for offsides anywhere on the field.  The referees meet and discuss the play and call Peru offsides after the discussion.   Still no flag, touchdown called back, and Oak Hill gets the ball moved half the distance.  Time put back on the clock and Oak Hill subsequently fumbles the snap.  Again...Peru wins in the end,  but I still can't figure out the offsides call with no flag and the 2 (literally 2) minute discussion.  Help?

[JustRules]

Hard to say without being there. Official probably had but gaffed on the flag and whistle at the time. He maybe went to R to explain what he had and that he failed to throw his flag. If they decide during the discussion that he should have killed it and it was definitely a foul they probably could drop a flag but it's more of a formality at that point. If this is what happened a possible discussion included the question "are you absolutely certain you had him in the neutral zone before the snap because this is not going to look good if we do this?" But it's better to look bad and be right. This is just one hypothetical.

[Moshiner1345]

1 hour ago, JustRules said:

Hard to say without being there. Official probably had but gaffed on the flag and whistle at the time. He maybe went to R to explain what he had and that he failed to throw his flag. If they decide during the discussion that he should have killed it and it was definitely a foul they probably could drop a flag but it's more of a formality at that point. If this is what happened a possible discussion included the question "are you absolutely certain you had him in the neutral zone before the snap because this is not going to look good if we do this?" But it's better to look bad and be right. This is just one hypothetical.

Another possible scenario: there is only 1 wing on the LOS in this scrimmage kick situation. The 1 wing could have had a brain lapse and thought the other side wing was going to blow it dead (if the offsides was on the opposite side), then he realized after the play, there was not an opposite side wing. So he had to come in with the information late prompting the late penalty. 

Wasn't there, don't know, haven't seen the play. Just showing a gap in the HS 5 person coverage for this play situation 

[Bobref]

2 hours ago, gbjemler said:

Help?

I wish I could. But without video …

A very good official once told me that it’s better to look bad and get the call right, as opposed to looking good, and getting it wrong. The lack of a flag is perplexing.

[gbjemler]

2 hours ago, Bobref said:

I wish I could. But without video …

A very good official once told me that it’s better to look bad and get the call right, as opposed to looking good, and getting it wrong. The lack of a flag is perplexing.

Thank you for your responses...I try not to criticize referees as they are doing a job I would never want to do.  High School sports does not function without their sacrifice away from their families to call games. I just was looking for some perspective and your answers gave me that perspective. So thank you to all three of you for your answers. And if you are or were referees, thank you for your service.  We can scrub this topic off the site now if moderators want to do that.