Football Official

Football Official

Zebra

Somewhere in, NJ

Male, 62

I've officiated football for over 30 years, now in my 26th on the college level. I've worked NCAA playoffs at the Division II and III level. In addition, I've coached at the scholastic level and have been an educator for over 35 years. I have no interest whatsoever in being an NFL official! Ever!

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514 Questions

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Last Answer on January 23, 2021

Best Rated

can you add some light on what the rule is for blocking down field for a screen pass. Can the receivers block the defender before the ball is caught by the offense player behind the LOS?

Asked by Josiah over 8 years ago

If a pass does not cross the line of scrimmage (screen) then a) you can't have ineligibles down field and b) you can't have pass interference (offense or defense). In the NFL, they are tighter with lineman, only giving them a yard downfield to block on passes behind the LOS. So, yes, receivers downfield can block before the pass is thrown as long as the pass was caught behind the LOS.

Can a db have his arm around a receiver (hooked) as they are running down the field and while the ball is in the air

Asked by Terry over 8 years ago

Good question. Are you an Ohio State or Michigan fan? The philosophy officials often use is "advantage/disadvantage". Did the action have a material impact on the play? Having an arm around a receiver isn't automatically a foul. Did the arm actually hook or grab the receiver and turn him away from the ball, or prevent him from reaching for the ball? Or was the arm being there just a good play, timed right? The rules today at virtually all levels - but especially the NFL - favor offense. So I return to the earlier point: Did the action have a material impact on the play? If yes, then we have a foul. And that's why those deep officials get the big bucks - for their judgment on that play.

How was j.wistons head butt not more than a personal foul? Helmet to helmet. Defenceless? Targeting?

Asked by Arvy over 8 years ago

I always said that if you could penalize for stupidity, there would be no game - it would take too long for all the penalty enforcements.

It was a personal foul - maybe unsportsmanlike? - but still just 15 yards. Could you call it flagrant and DQ the guy? Maybe, but would they? And especially at that point in the game? You could have called it all the things you said, although "targeting" has a specific definition that may not apply here. Regardless, you can't get blood from a stone, so PF is pretty much it.

In Saturdays LSU-Auburn game the officials called a penalty on LSU for illegal motion with 5 seconds to play. The play was nullified and brought back to the line of scrimmage and the penalty was assessed. Should the clock have been reset at 5 seconds

Asked by Rick over 8 years ago

Couple of things here. If the clock was running and the foul for illegal motion stopped the clock, then there could have been a 10 second runoff and the game would be over. If the click wasn't running, then yes you should have the clock reset to five seconds since the play never happened. But, and I'm not clear from your description, if the play was run and the foul was a live ball foul during the play, then you could have an untimed down or Auburn could decline the penalty and the game ends.

this question pertains to the seahawks/packers game on 9/10/2017. in the 4th quarter onthe final drive, with 3:09 remaining, the packers were assessed an unnecessary roughness penalty (15yds) yet next play was a 1st & 10 - shouldn't it be 1st & 25?

Asked by chezcarson over 7 years ago

While I didn't see the game, this is probably what happened. It's the same as in college football where if there is a foul, in this case a personal foul, between downs and before the chains have been set with the new line to gain, the penalty is enforced and then the chains are set. So it is, in fact, first and 10.

Ok- It’s fourth down with 4 sec left. The QB runs backward on 4th down. The clock hits zero and he tosses the ball underhand, skyward to celebrate. The ball comes down to the field and bounces in the end zone. If it went backwards- isn’t it a fumble

Asked by The Old AD over 7 years ago

Yup. Or technically, a backward pass which is still alive. This is the end of the JMU - South Dakota State game that someone just called me about. He thought the whistle had blown and if so, the ref may have felt the QB had "given himself up" knowing what the purpose of the running around was. In truth, the QB should have killed the clock running around and then gone to a knee to end the game.

Is a try after point mandatory or may it be declined

Asked by Ols about 8 years ago

No one would decline the opportunity to score points. But in the case of the SupervBowl, the PAT score wasn't needed. The game had been decided. It's similar cat other levels. If the score might make a difference (e.g. as a tie breaker in league play or seeding) you have the try. If not, you can walk away...or decline.