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CFOA
2007 Back Judge
Mechanics
Hours of boredom
and moments of sheer terror!!
Prior to game
starting,
the back Judge has the following responsibilities:
Check the playing field to
ensure it is marked properly and there are no
safety concerns for players and officials.
Inform the band director that
all pre-game activities should be concluded by the
time the game clock reaches 5 minutes before game
time.
Check that both teams have
game balls and ball people. Instruct them on how
they are to assist the crew in getting balls in
the game as needed.
Help the Linesman with the
chains and if he is giving instructions to the
chain crew them watch his sideline and escort
captains out to the coin toss if necessary.
Kickoff
You have the kickers at the
40 yard line if no penalty has occurred before the
kickoff. Give the ball to the kicker and instruct
him to wait for the referee to signal the ready
for play before kicking off. If the kicking team
does not come out when directed, place the ball in
the center of the field at the 40, than assume
your position on your sideline and indicated to
the referee you are ready. If the referee gives
the ready then start your 25 second count. If a
delay occurs then signal the delay and mark off
the 5 yards. Watch for off sides on the kickoff.
Count the kickers to make sure they have no more
than 11 players on the field, do not allow the
kickoff to occur if you have more than 11 players.
After the ball is kicked then
move in towards the hash mark and watch the kicker
that he has had an opportunity to regain his
balance and participates in the play before he is
hit by the receivers. Watch the play as it
develops moving down field slowly in case the play
breaks and your have to cover the end zone. In the
event of a short kick be prepared to rule if the
ball went the 10 yards and touched the ground or a
receiver. Also look for 1st touching on
short and line drive kicks.
Running and
passing plays
Count the defense every play
and relay to the referee that you have no more
than 11 players on the field before the snap. The
count must be done before every play. Signal by
holing your arm out to the side and slightly
forward with a fist and thumb up. If you have more
than 11 players then hold your arm our in front of
you with your thumb pointed down. This will
indicate to the end men to help on the count.
You are to line up at least 5
yards deeper than the deepest defensive back. At
times you may be more than the 18-20 yards deep.
Usually your position is 4 lines beyond the line
of scrimmage, which will usually put you 20 +
yards deep. You should always be on a line and not
between yard lines. If it is a running or passing
play your position is the same. There is no need
for you to come up on a short yardage play, your
responsibility is still the goal line and deep.
Position yourself between the hash marks on the
strong side of the formation. Your position on the
field may change if the formation changes. In 5
man mechanics your key is the second receiver in.
In most cases it will be the tight end. The strong
side of the formation is where the backs line up
in the formation. When a shift occurs the strong
side could also change. Look at the tackle to see
if he is blocking aggressively or pulling up in a
pass blocking stance.
Your first two steps on all
running and passing plays are always backwards.
This will allow you to keep the distance from the
defensive back and if the play goes deep you will
be in position to make the call. Your deep
responsibility does not change maintain your
coverage. Determine the direction the play is
going and keep the play boxed in. Give ground as
the runner advances making sure he does not reach
the goal line before you do. If you crowd the play
and the runner cuts back then you will get caught
up in the traffic and not be in position to
officiate the goal line or the play as it comes
toward you. Stay between the hash marks until the
play is over.
On plays that go over 7 yards
be prepared to come up and assist in getting the
ball to the umpire. If it is a first down then
come up and get the ball so the referee can signal
first down and get the clock moving.
If a play goes out of bounds
come up and assist the end man with players who
are out of bounds. Your presence may stop
un-sportsman like activity. Get the players form
the opposing team back on the field as quickly as
possible, especially if they are in the opponent’s
team box area.
Unless the play ends at your
feet and you see the ball then there is no need
for you to blow your whistle. Only blow you
whistle if after the play has ended there is
activity that needs to be stopped. As a back judge
you will very seldom blow your whistle.
Passing Plays
Your position and keys are
the same as a running play. You should be aware of
the down and distance on every play, it will
usually determine if a passing play is coming. Be
aware to the time on the game clock at all times,
if it goes out then you will be responsible for
informing the referee and keeping time if needed.
After the snap watch your
keys and also look at the quarter back, in high
school most quarter backs will quickly look at the
receiver they are going to throw to. The 5A and 6A
classes may have a quarter back that can look away
the defensive backs. Once you read pass then look
for a holding or an illegal block after the
receiver has passed the defensive back. But
remember that no pass interference can occur until
the ball is thrown forward and crosses the line of
scrimmage. As a back judge you must know the
status of the ball before calling defensive or
offence pass interference. If the foul occurred
away from where the pass was thrown you cannot
have pass interference, you may have a foul or
not. There does not need to be contact to have
pass interference, the defender must be making an
attempt to gain possession of the ball and not
playing the receiver. So if his back is to the
ball and he impedes the defender either physically
or visually then it could be pass interference.
Once again you have the goal
line so do not stop and watch the pass and then
try and out run the players to the goal line. You
can still watch the pass and keep moving back. If
the play is near a sideline then the end man
should have the spot of the catch. If the
receivers back is to you then you have the feet
and the end man has the ball. The reverse would be
true if the ball is towards you. Communicate with
the end man before signaling unless you are sure
the player was in bounds and made the catch.
If the pass is complete then
help relay the ball to the umpire or if it is
between the hash marks then spot the ball and wait
for the umpire to release the spot to him. Talk to
your end men and umpire throughout the game.
Communicate the down, time outs remaining and talk
to them about good calls they have made.
Punts
Your position should be about
2 yards behind and 7 yards wide of the deepest
receiver favoring the linesmen side of the field.
The line judge will be coming down to help on his
side of the field as soon as the ball is snapped.
Once the ball is kicked then adjust your position
either up or back of the receiver so you can have
a clear view if the ball is muffed or touched. If
the ball goes over the receivers head then retreat
and watch the action of the ball. Be prepared to
rule on touchback or momentum that carries a
receiver into the end zone. If the catch is made
from the 5 yard line in, a bean bag needs to be
dropped where the catch was made so the ball can
be spotted at the proper spot if the receiver does
not get out of the end zone. Know the status of
ball, and what action caused the ball to go
forward, so you can rule on momentum going into
the end zone.
If the receiver gives a fair
catch signal then make sure the receiver catches
the ball before blowing your whistle. The biggest
problem is, the whistle being blown before the
catch is made, causing an inadvertent whistle
situation. The receiver must be given the
opportunity to complete the catch of a kick
weather a fair catch is signaled or not. The
kickers cannot impede the receiver’s opportunity
to catch a kick. Once the ball is caught by the
receivers then a bean bag should be dropped at the
spot of the catch. The bean bag does not have to
be at the exact spot of the catch but rather on a
line where the catch was completed or recovery. If
a signal for a fair catch is made by any member of
the receivers the ball becomes dead if caught or
recovered. Only the player who gives the fair
catch signal is afforded protection, but it does
not give the defense the right to hit other
players who may catch the ball if they clearly
have stopped and are making no attempt to advance
the ball.
If there is no receive in the
vicinity of the ball and no receiver is making an
attempt to catch the kick, then the kickers can
catch or cover the ball. The ball becomes dead at
the spot of the catch or recovery and cannot be
advanced by the kickers.
Once the receiver starts to
advance after the catch, follow and observe the
action behind the runner. Be prepared to retreat
to the goal line if the kickers gain possession
after the kick ends. Follow the play at a distance
that will allow you to see the progression of the
play but not get caught in the action if the
runner reverses.
After the play leaves your
area watch the action behind the runner making
sure no player who is obviously out of the play is
roughed. If a player is not near the ball and just
standing there then he cannot be hit by a player
of the opposing team. No cheap shots.
Try
You will have the whistle on
kicks once they clear the line of scrimmage. On a
try, once the ball has been kicked, nothing can
happen so the whistle can be blown to stop action
at the line. The referee will have the whistle if
the ball is blocked behind the line of scrimmage.
On a try or field goal communicate with the end
man under the other upright if the kick is good or
not. Use yes or no, to communicate with the other
official before signaling. Come straight out do
not angle out from the goal post.
If the defense gains control
of the ball on a try it becomes dead immediately.
Stop the action and the try is over. If the ball
is touched by the defense behind or beyond the
scrimmage line and the kick goes through then the
score counts. If the offense touches the ball
beyond the scrimmage line on a kick then the try
is ended and the score does not count if it went
through the uprights.
On a fake try the two back
officials will cover the end line and the umpire
will turn to the side of the field the official
vacated and cover the goal line. The back judge
should know which official is to go under and
remind then if they are not moving.
Field Goal
On a field goal wait until
the ball crosses the goal line before blowing your
whistle. The ball is still live until that point.
Keep the whistle in your hand to prevent an
inadvertent whistle. As in any kick the receivers
cannot advance a ball out of the end zone. If a
receiver comes up and signals for a fair catch he
is afforded protection as on any kick. The
receiver must have the opportunity to catch the
kick with out interference as in any kicking
situation.
Both officials will have the
same position as they would on a try. If the play
is broken or a run develops both official will
still have the end line. If the kick is short then
end man should get to his side line and watch for
action in his area. The back judge will come up
and make sure the loose ball is not in the end
zone. If the receivers recover and advance then
follow the play cautiously and watch for action
around and behind the runner.
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