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

College football: punt formation has an uncovered wing wearing an ineligible number, can he be thrown a forward pass (across line of scrimmage)?

Asked by Chris about 6 years ago

Nope. The player is ineligible by number and that is always the case on a pass that crosses the line of scrimmage.

Okay so we’re taking high school football. It was 7-6 and they went for two. His helmet crossed the line but the ball did not. They counted it. What would you say

Asked by rorog03@icloud.com over 6 years ago

By rule, that is not a touchdown. And that's the case at any level of football

Does the execution of a snap supercede a timeout whistle, blown very slightly after the snap? Should the result of the play count? Can officials deny the timeout request, if not given time to communicate the timeout before the snap?

Asked by grizrule about 6 years ago

You're asking questions of philosophy, something that isn't in the rule book. First, it depends who is calling the timeout, offense or defense. The defense often waits to the last second to call it in order to "ice" the kicker. But if the snap is in the process of going off, it is possible for the timeout to not be granted. You ask about the whistle blowing "very slightly" after the snap; that probably means it was asked for prior to the snap. When you see the snap go and the kick made as whistles are being blown, the timeout was granted prior to the snap - the kick will not count. Usually, for the offense the timeout is granted.

On Sunday the refs ruled the pass incomplete in the Bears/Eagles playoff game because there was "no clear recovery". If the refs had called it a catch & fumble - with no clear recovery - would the Bears have kept the ball at the 4 yard line?

Asked by Kaptain Kill about 6 years ago

Yeah, that was interesting. Even former NFL ref and now-rules expert Terry McCauley was thrown a bit and had to dig into the rule book and case book.

The NFL sometimes has very different rules from college and high school. I'm more familiar with the latter and if there's a loose ball - and no one recovers it - it belongs to the team last in possession. So in the case you describe, it would belong to the team that was on offense and made the catch.

And all those guys on defense who didn't jump on a loose ball would be fired!

Interception in the opponents end zone. Player runs sideways with in the end zone. If tackled is it a safety and 2 points. He doesn’t kneel down.

Asked by Steve OB almost 6 years ago

No. The offense put the ball in the endzone, so that can't be a safety. Now, if he left the endzone and then went back in - on his own - and then was tackled, yes, that's a safety, because the ball was put in the endzone by the defense.

Can a defensive player on the sidelines call a timeout during a game while his offense is on the playing field

Asked by Mark kettner almost 7 years ago

No. Only a player - someone in the game/on the field - or a substitute - someone coming on to the field to replace a player - can call tmieout.

If a starting QB leaves a game trailing and the backup brings the team back and wins, which QB is credited with the win? The starter or the backup.

Asked by Tim over 6 years ago

On field fame officials are not responsible for statistics. Can't help.