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When multiple officials make different calls on the same play how does the crew decided on which one to go with?


Slobberknocker

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When multiple officials make different calls on the same play how is it decided on which one to go with?  In the video first official called it CG's ball, second official then sort of gave a incomplete call then third office started arguing it was a completed pass. They went with the third official call, completed pass. Is it usual decided by who had best position, the loudest (alpha) official or some other way.   

 

 

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This is a great question, but not one that can be answered simply. On many crews, the officials in conflict get together, briefly, to see if they can resolve their conflict. If they can’t, they go to the Referee. Normally, the Referee acts first as a facilitator, trying to get the conflicting views resolved. Ultimately, however, as I used to remind the members of my crew on occasion, a football crew is not a democracy. One guy wears the white hat for a reason. If the conflicting views can’t be resolved by agreement, then the Referee makes the ruling. It’s usually based on a number of factors such as who had the better view, whose area of responsibility it was, application of any “when in doubt” maxims, etc.

By the way, my ruling on that clip was simultaneous catch, meaning the ball is dead in possession of the offense at the spot of the simultaneous catch.

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28 minutes ago, Bobref said:

This is a great question, but not one that can be answered simply. On many crews, the officials in conflict get together, briefly, to see if they can resolve their conflict. If they can’t, they go to the Referee. Normally, the Referee acts first as a facilitator, trying to get the conflicting views resolved. Ultimately, however, as I used to remind the members of my crew on occasion, a football crew is not a democracy. One guy wears the white hat for a reason. If the conflicting views can’t be resolved by agreement, then the Referee makes the ruling. It’s usually based on a number of factors such as who had the better view, whose area of responsibility it was, application of any “when in doubt” maxims, etc.

By the way, my ruling on that clip was simultaneous catch, meaning the ball is dead in possession of the offense at the spot of the simultaneous catch.

So the play is dead when they both have possession not when they were down by contact?

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41 minutes ago, Slobberknocker said:

So the play is dead when they both have possession not when they were down by contact?

If players of opposing teams simultaneously possess the ball, it becomes dead at that point. If the ball was loose due to a forward or backward pass, or a fumble, it would belong to the passing or fumbling team. If the ball was loose because of a kick, it would belong to the receiving team.

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1 hour ago, Bobref said:

If players of opposing teams simultaneously possess the ball, it becomes dead at that point. If the ball was loose due to a forward or backward pass, or a fumble, it would belong to the passing or fumbling team. If the ball was loose because of a kick, it would belong to the receiving team.

*-Rule does not apply at Michigan Stadium (and Bill Lynch will launch a wad of gum 40 yards in protest). 

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7 hours ago, crimsonace1 said:

*-Rule does not apply at Michigan Stadium (and Bill Lynch will launch a wad of gum 40 yards in protest). 

To be fair NCAA rules are different. And could have changed since Bill Lynch coached at Michigan stadium. The current NCAA rule difference from NFHS is if both players are airborne when they have simultaneous possession the one who touches the ground first is awarded possession (assuming possession is maintained). But also by philosophy it's very rare to have simultaneous catch. Generally one of them has it. Let it play out and one will usually come away with the ball fairly quickly. If not then you can apply the simultaneous catch rule. I haven't heard that consistently in NFHS so I wouldn't expect all crews to apply it.

To answer the original question I agree with Bobref. Each official has a different angle and shares what they saw. If they can determine one of them maybe didn't see an aspect other(s) are confident in they may decide as a group to go with one call over another.

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There was a C. Leather play of this exact scenario:

Play #58

4th and 12 from the B-35 yard line. Quarterback A1 throws a pass which is possessed simultaneously by A2 and B2 at the B-25 yard line.  A2 and B2 continue to move down the field while continuing to battle for possession of the ball.  (a) the ball is fumbled on the B-20 yard line and recovered by B3.  (b) the players both fall to the ground at the B-20 yard line still both in possession of the ball. Ruling? 


Ruling: 

A ball that is possessed simultaneously is awarded to the offense.  The ball is dead at the spot of the simultaneous possession.  In this case that yard line is the B-25.  This is short of the line to gain.  In both (a) and (b), it will be 1st and 10 for B from the B-25 yard line.

  7-5-4

 

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1 hour ago, 5GetsYou1 said:

There was a C. Leather play of this exact scenario:

Play #58

4th and 12 from the B-35 yard line. Quarterback A1 throws a pass which is possessed simultaneously by A2 and B2 at the B-25 yard line.  A2 and B2 continue to move down the field while continuing to battle for possession of the ball.  (a) the ball is fumbled on the B-20 yard line and recovered by B3.  (b) the players both fall to the ground at the B-20 yard line still both in possession of the ball. Ruling? 


Ruling: 

A ball that is possessed simultaneously is awarded to the offense.  The ball is dead at the spot of the simultaneous possession.  In this case that yard line is the B-25.  This is short of the line to gain.  In both (a) and (b), it will be 1st and 10 for B from the B-25 yard line.

  7-5-4

 

So, in this case the officials spotted the ball incorrectly. The offense advanced the ball and officials spotted it where they landed.

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19 minutes ago, Slobberknocker said:

So, in this case the officials spotted the ball incorrectly. The offense advanced the ball and officials spotted it where they landed.

That is true, but only if the ruling on the field was simultaneous catch. As @JustRulessaid, it’s extremely rare. I’ve only seen 2 on the field in my career.

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