FOOTBALL 5-PERSON MECHANICS CHANGES FOR 2008

OFFICIAL MHSAA FB MECHANICS MANUAL The following slides are highlights of the new 5-person mechanics that will be used in all school-sponsored football games played in Michigan. For complete information, please consult the Official Football Mechanics Manual (Second Edition- 2008) as produced by the MHSAA. These Mechanics Manuals can be obtained by contacting the MHSAA office.

COUNTING OF PLAYERS Referee & Umpire count the offense. Back judge and the official on the sideline of the defensive team will count the defense. “Thumbs Up” for 11 “Thumbs Down” for 12 Open hands on chest or in the air for 10

In this photo….. R and U would have the offense (WHITE). BJ and LJ would have the defense (BLACK). The LJ is responsible as the team in BLACK is on his sideline!

FREE KICKS Back judge will hand the ball to K and is responsible for K’s restraining line. The BJ is responsible for action in front of the runner and will have forward progress from the five yard line to the goal line on the sideline opposite the press box. Umpire is responsible for R’s restraining line; the U will move toward the near hash marks once all K players have cleared R’s restraining line from the press box side of the field. The U will then officiate “inside out”. Line judge will be on the press box sideline at the 20 yard line and has forward progress / sideline coverage all the way to the goal line. Head linesman will be opposite the press box on the 20 yard line and has forward progress / sideline coverage all the way to the five yard line. Referee will be on or near the goal line in the middle of the field.

FREE KICK INITIAL POSITION PRESS BOX

OBVIOUS ONSIDE FREE KICK Back judge will hand the ball to K and is responsible for K’s restraining line and the legality of blocks by K on that side the field. Umpire will move to K’s restraining line and is responsible for K’s restraining line and the legality of blocks by K on that side of the field. The LJ and HL will both move to R’s restraining line and are responsible for that line and the legality of touching or recovering the ball by R. Referee will be shaded to the hash mark of the side of the field where the kick will go. Keep the deepest receiver in front of you.

OBVIOUS ONSIDE KICK INITIAL POSITION PRESS BOX

SCRIMMAGE KICKS (PUNTS) The line of scrimmage officials must work off from the referee. If the referee has his back to you, you are the “release official” where you will move downfield at the snap to cover the punt. If the referee is facing you, you hold at the LOS until the ball has crossed the LOS. The back judge will position himself to the side of the field (but still within the hash marks) opposite the kicker’s foot. This will allow you to box the kick return in with the releasing line of scrimmage official. The referee will take a position on the same yard line as the punter as he waits for the snap on the SIDE OF HIS KICKING FOOT.

In this photo, the HL would be the RELEASE official at the snap as the R has his back to him. The R is aligned on the right side of the punter as the kicker is right footed. The R, U and LJ have the action following the snap boxed in. The BJ must align himself to the LJ side of the deepest receiver. Another way to look at this is the BJ always aligns himself OPPOSITE the side of the punter from the R.

* In this photo, the LJ would be the RELEASE official at the snap as the R has his back to him. * The R is aligned on the right side of the punter as the kicker is right footed. * The R, U and HL have the action following the snap boxed in. * The BJ must align himself to the HL side of the deepest receiver. Another way to look at this is the BJ always aligns himself OPPOSITE the side of the punter from the R.

SCORING KICKS- BALL SNAPPED ON OR INSIDE THE 15 YARD LINE The back judge will be under the upright on the press box side of the field. The umpire will be under the upright opposite the press box side of the field. Note: You are still responsible for immediate action against the snapper! Both line of scrimmage officials will remain at their normal positions. Referee will be facing the holder at a 45 degree angle.

SCORING KICKS- BALL SNAPPED OUTSIDE THE 15 YARD LINE The back judge has the entire goal post (cross bar and both uprights). Read the kick! The umpire is back in his “normal” position. Both line of scrimmage officials will remain at their normal positions. Referee will be facing the holder at a 45 degree angle.

A few assumptions on this photo…. 1) Please imagine ball is being snapped outside the 15! 2) The LJ would be at the sideline in this photo if you could see him. 3) The R is facing the holder at a 45 degree angle.

GOAL LINE COVERAGE When the ball is snapped on or insider the 15 yard line, the back judge will be on the end line. When the ball is snapped on or inside the 10 yard line, the HL and LJ must officiate ahead of the runner. When the ball is snapped on or inside the 5 yard line, the HL and LJ must move immediately to the goal line after the snap.

As an example……

PASS COVERAGE- INITIAL KEYS These keys are your starting point…as the play develops, you will move to zone coverage. If the formation is balanced, the LJ’s side will be considered the strong side. A player in motion can change the keys based on where he is when the ball is snapped.

BALANCED FORMATION WITH NO WIDEOUTS- TWO TE’s, FULL BACKFIELD The BJ has the TE to the LJ’s side. The LJ has any back out to your side. The HL has the TE to your side, as well as any back out to your side.

BALANCED FORMATION WITH 2 RECEIVERS TO EACH SIDE The BJ has the 2 nd receiver on the LJ’s side. The LJ has the widest receiver on your side. The HL has both receivers to your side.

BALANCED FORMATION WITH 2 RECEIVERS TO EACH SIDE Strong side is considered the LJ side!

TWO RECEIVERS TO THE LJ SIDE / ONE RECEIVER TO HL SIDE The BJ has the 2 nd receiver on the LJ’s side. The LJ has the widest receiver on your side. The HL has the receiver on your side. Note: If the two receivers are to the HL side and one receiver is to the LJ side, then the coverages would simply be reversed!

TWO RECEIVERS TO THE LJ SIDE / ONE RECEIVER TO HL SIDE

TRIPS FORMATION The BJ has the inside 2 receivers to the side with the trips formation. The LOS official will always have the widest receiver to the trips side. The other LOS official will have either the one or two receivers if on the side opposite the trips formation.

TRIPS FORMATION

SIGNALS The HL or LJ shall signal when the widest player to their side in the formation is OFF the line of scrimmage. No signal is give if the widest player to their side in the formation is ON the line of scrimmage. See the following photo.

For more information, please consult the Official Football Mechanics Manual (Second Edition- 2008) as produced by the MHSAA.