Tommy Moore discusses why you need to bring your A game regardless of what level you officiate. As a deep wing official in the Southwest Conference to 12 years in the NFL then on to the replay booth, Tommy Moore has seen it all in football officiating.

There are times as we climb the ladder of football officiating, I think its important to stop, reflect and smell the artificial turf. Each of us love being a football official and I find it invigorating to talk to officials on the front end of their journey.

NCAA FOOTBALL RULES COMMITTEE ACTION FOR 2010
Rogers Redding
Secretary-Rules Editor

INTRODUCTION
The NCAA Football Rules Committee met for the first time under the NCAA rules process which calls for rules changes to be made only in alternate years. Thus the committee did not make any rules changes for the 2010 season. The annual meeting this year gave members an opportunity to look at the game of college football holistically, consider trends in the game, and discuss and alert the membership to possible future action. The committee approved some changes to take effect in 2011 and made a small number of editorial clarifications that will go into effect in 2010 by editorial bulletin.

PLAYER SAFETY

Injured Player Procedures
When a player incurs an injury, including showing signs of a concussion, the officials will declare a timeout and the player must leave the game. He may not return until he receives approval of an appropriate medical professional designated by his institution. Relevant editorial modifications will be made to Rule 3-3-5, “Injury Timeout.” When available from the NCAA’s health and safety staff, an appendix will be distributed and added to the next addition of the rules book to assist with recognition of a concussion.

Strengthening Of Existing Rules Regarding Targeting and Initiating Contact
Editorial clarification for 2010: Current Rule 9-1-3 replaced by 9-1-3- and 9-1-4, as follows:

Targeting/Initiating Contact with Crown of the Helmet

ARTICLE 3.
No player shall target and initiate contact against an opponent with the crown (top) of his helmet. When in question, it is a foul.

PENALTY—Personal foul. 15 yards. For dead-ball fouls, 15 yards from the succeeding spot. Also, automatic first down for Team B fouls if not in conflict with other rules. (Exception: Penalties for Team A personal fouls behind the neutral zone are enforced from the previous spot. Safety if the foul occurs behind Team A’s goal line) [S7, S24, S34, S38, S39, S40, S41, S45 or S46]. Flagrant offenders shall be disqualified [S47].

For Team A fouls during free or scrimmage kick plays: Enforcement may be at the previous spot or the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B (field-goal plays exempted) (Rules 6-1-8 and 6-3-13).

Defenseless Player: Contact to Head or Neck Area

ARTICLE 4
No player shall target and initiate contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent with the helmet, forearm, elbow or shoulder. When in question, it is a foul. (See Points of Emphasis for a description of “Defenseless Player.”)
PENALTY—(Same as above)

Wedge Blocking on Free Kicks
The committee discussed the possibility of prohibiting an intentional wedge of three or more receiving team players on free kicks. Members will obtain more information by assessing the experience of the National Football League, which introduced such a rule in 2009. This topic will be closely examined by the committee at its 2011 meeting.

Blocking Below the Waist

The committee had an extensive discussion about blocking below the waist. There is general agreement that the current rule is overly cumbersome and complicated. Committee members will make suggestions for modification of the rule to the secretary-rules editor who will frame possible new language. This will be considered at the next committee meeting in 2011.

SPORTSMANSHIP

Pregame Warm-ups
The committee encourages conferences that do not have a pregame warm-up policy to direct that there be a 10-yard no-player zone between the 45-yard lines beginning 60 minutes before kickoff. This reinforces the Statement on Sportsmanship which was adopted by the committee for inclusion in the 2009-2010 NCAA Football Rule Book.

Unsportsmanlike Conduct Fouls

Approved for 2011
Following up on the Statement on Sportsmanship adopted last year, the committee approved by unanimous vote the following rule change which will take effect in 2011:

A live-ball foul for unsportsmanlike conduct will be treated as any other live-ball foul, rather than being administered as a dead-ball foul. When in question it is a dead-ball foul. Currently and for 2010 such fouls are treated as dead-ball fouls.

Example 1: A ball carrier is in the open field racing for the goal line. At the opponent’s 10-yard line he turns, makes a taunting gesture to his opponents pursuing him and then scores an apparent touchdown.

RULING IN 2011: Live-ball foul for unsportsmanlike conduct. Fifteen-yard penalty from the spot of the foul and the score is negated. First and 10 at the 25-yard line. (Under current rules the touchdown counts and the penalty is enforced on the try or the kickoff.)

Example 2: Third and seven at the defensive team’s 35-yard line. A defensive player is lined up in the neutral zone at the snap. The quarterback completes a pass to the tight end who races toward the end zone. At the 10-yard line he turns and taunts the players pursuing him and then crosses the goal line.

RULING IN 2011. Offside against the defense and unsportsmanlike conduct by the offense. The fouls offset and the down is repeated. No score. Third and seven at the 35-yard line. (Under current rules the offside penalty is declined by rule, the touchdown counts, and the penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct is enforced on the try or the kickoff.)

Example 3: After scoring a touchdown the ball carrier punts the ball into the stands. RULING: Dead-ball foul for unsportsmanlike conduct. The touchdown counts. The 15-yard penalty is enforced on either the try or on the succeeding kickoff, at the option of the defensive team. (No change from the current rule)

EQUIPMENT AND UNIFORMS

Television Monitors in Coaches Booths
Effective in 2011, television monitors will be allowed in the press box coaches’ booths. The home team has responsibility for insuring that coaches’ booths for both teams have identical television capability.

Uniforms and Player Adornment
1. Officials are admonished to be more careful about enforcing the equipment rules (chin straps buckled, mouth pieces in, etc.)

2. Editorial Clarification. EFFECTIVE IN 2010: (a) Players must wear soft knee pads at least ½” thick. Beginning in 2010 there is no reference to the pants covering the knees. (b) Socks must be of the same color and design. Beginning in 2010 there is no reference to length of the socks.

3. Editorial Clarification. EFFECTIVE IN 2010: If eye shade is worn it must be solid black with no words, numbers, logos or other symbols.

Jim Augustyn, former Big Ten umpire and Arena League official is currently a regional supervisor of the Arena II Football League. Jim sheds some light on officiating Arena Football, how it prepares you for higher levels and what to do if you want to apply.

Crews are an important part of life as a college football official and in many cases, as a high school official as well.  Over the past two weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to work with two great crews – one in the WVIAC and one in the Mid-South.  Both crews demonstrated professionalism, passion for officiating, pride in their avocation. This story details my recent trip to Virgina @ Wise.

I had the opportunity to work a Mid-South NAIA game Saturday at Virginia at Wise. Normally I’m traveling alone headed to West Virginia but on this occasion I was fortunate to accompany the entire crew on our trip to the far western reaches of Virgina.

We met at the KHSAA office in Lexington, KY at 7:30 am and headed east in a fully equipped conversion van driven by the crew chief, PJ Doyen. This crew hails from Northern Kentucky where they work a full high school schedule as well. (Working a NFHS varsity contest Friday night then working Saturday in the Mid-South is one of the attractions with this conference) I did know the umpire, Ryan Kendall, on this crew. If you recall Ryan and I attended the WVIAC clinic and we both were hired on crews following that weekend in late July.

Now I must confess…I’ve only worked on a formal crew for one year (last year and the beginning of this year). Prior to that, I worked with different football officials on a weekly basis. Second confession – I LOVE being on an assigned crew.

As football officials, we strive to improve year in and year out. We set goals, we study rules, we watch game film and we discuss play situations amongst our crews as a integral component of our development plan. But what exactly does the crew concept bring to the forefront? Why are crews so important to improving the level of officiating?

Let me share one specific example in this post. There are many other key reasons but I won’t delve into all of them here. Feel free to drop a comment on how crews have affected your experience as a football official.

I find that after a few weeks together, the crew estabilshes a comfort level which allows each crew member to move past the early stages of “first date syndrome.” Let me explain. When your have new crew members each week, you really never move past getting acquainted. This prevents the crew, in most cases, from moving past the introductory stages and pursuing improvement which can elevate their game. Not always, but its difficult I believe, to offer constructive criticism when you don’t know if you’ll even work with any of the crew again that season.

Crews, on the other hand, who take the field together each week, form a bond which allows the free exchange of information, constructive criticism, and a focus on continuous improvement on an individual and a crew basis. Crews are protective of each other. Crews are like a fraternity in some respects. A brotherhood of the stripes. Its quite an experience.

So imagine my apprehension taking the field Saturday in my second NCAA game ever! Just a little on edge

But there are times when the stars align and you know almost immediately that its going to be okay. That’s the way it was Saturday. As I climbed in the van, I noticed familiar faces. Hands were shaken, a few well-placed jokes dropped and we set out on our way. Over the next 4 hours, we talked football, work, family and the general riff-raff that will arise when 7 men are confined in a tight space for an extended period of time. And of course, we talked football.

As we took the field, each member of the crew took the time to ensure I understood their pre-game activities. I asked questions, answers were provided. And since I had worked with another crew the week before…questions were asked about how things were done in the WVIAC. Like I said before, everyone wants to improve. The game went smoothly. I had a “bang-bang” play at teh end zone with a runner going airborne in his attempt to reach the goal line. He lost control of the ball and it ended up in the end zone. I ruled out of bounds at the 1 yard line. Question was…was the loose ball in the end zone a touchback?

That’s where the beauty of the crew comes in…we discussed the play in detail during the half. We can to no really conclusion. Discussion continued on the ride home with rule book in hand. Still no definitive answer. Calls were made. Emails sent. All in the interest of getting the next call right. Right or wrong, this call was history. How can the crew get better from this experience. What happens to one, can improve the football officiating of others. That’s what I love about the crew.

I can see the same potential with my WVIAC crew. We haven’t had the chance to gel just yet but I believe the ingredients are there. What we need is a good 5 hour road trip!

To PJ Doyen, Mike Freeman, Ryan Kendall, Jimmy Colwell, Daryl Crosthwaite and Chris Kent: Thank you for making this aspiring football official feel like one of the crew. The pleasure was all mine.

Be the Best on the Field…with or without me.

Todd