1. Football
7 Man Mechanics

2. Pregame HL SJ LJ FJ BJ Head Linesman And Side Judge
Check the chains and down marker.
Find your chain crew and brief them.
Spot check the field with the chains (Make sure no 1st and Goal
from the 11 yard line).
Find your ball boys and brief them.
Secure the game balls and make sure the BJ checks them.
Introduce yourself to the coaching staff, especially the head coach.
Line Judge And Field Judge
Secure the game balls and make sure the Referee checks them.
Back Judge
Be the police officer on the field. Patrol the 45 yard line zone and
look out for unsportsmanlike behavior.
- Help the Umpire with getting adornments removed. LJ FJ BJ

3. Pregame R U SJ FJ Referee And Umpire Talk to the head coaches
Verify legality of equipment and players (Umpire)
Get the adornments off players
Approve game balls
Side Judge And Field Judge
Find out from the Referee and/or Umpire who the talking captain
is for your sideline’s team so you can line up the captains appropriately
for the coin toss SJ FJ

4. Pregame Field Policing
Cover The 45 Yard Line Zone
30 Mins on clock
DO NOT HUDDLE
Press Box R LJ X X X X X X X BJ HL U FJ
3 5
4 0
4 5
4 5
4 0
<
3 5
<
<
<
<
< SJ 1

5. Coin Toss LJ FJ U R SJ 1 0 2 0 4 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 BJ HL
Coin Toss Proper Positioning
Press Box LJ FJ T
Score Board U R T SJ
1 0
2 0
4 0
<
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
< BJ HL 1

6. Coin Toss To Kick Off FJ LJ BJ R U HL SJ 2 0 1 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 4 0
Proper Positioning
Press Box FJ LJ BJ R U K
Score Board HL SJ
2 0
<
1 0
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
4 0
< 1

7. Kick Off LJ FJ R BJ 2 0 4 0 1 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 SJ U HL Proper Positioning
Press Box LJ FJ
BJ Hands The
Ball To The Kicker R
Count R BJ
Count K K
Score Board
2 0
4 0
<
1 0
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
< SJ U HL 1

8. Onside Kick LJ FJ BJ R 1 0 2 0 4 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 SJ U HL
Proper Positioning
Press Box LJ FJ BJ
Did Either Team
Touch The Ball?
Did The Ball
Hit The Ground?
Did The Ball
Go 10 yards? R
Score Board
1 0
2 0
4 0
<
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
< SJ U HL 1

9. Pre-Snap Duties FJ LJ R U BJ 2 0 4 0 1 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 SJ HL Counting
Press Box FJ LJ
Count Offense
Count Defense R U
Score Board BJ
Communicate on 4 or less
2 0
4 0
<
1 0
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
< SJ HL 1

10. Initial Keys FJ LJ R U BJ BJ 2 0 1 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 4 0 SJ HL Press Box
BJ will turn toward the strong side of the Formation…FJ and SJ ALWAYS HAVE THE WIDEST player….BJ ALWAYS has the second player in on strongside… HL and LJ will then have the 2nd (weakside) or 3rd (stongside) reciever… U has center and both guards. R has QB and backside tackle
Press Box FJ LJ R U BJ
Score Board BJ
2 0
<
1 0
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
4 0
< SJ HL 1

11. Initial Keys FJ LJ R BJ BJ U 1 0 2 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 4 0 SJ HL Double Wing
Press Box FJ LJ R BJ BJ
Score Board U
<
1 0
2 0
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
4 0
< SJ HL 1

12. Initial Keys FJ LJ R BJ BJ U 2 0 1 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 4 0 SJ HL
Trips Formation
Press Box FJ LJ R BJ BJ
Score Board U
2 0
<
1 0
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
4 0
< SJ HL 1

13. Initial Keys FJ LJ R BJ BJ U 1 0 2 0 4 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 SJ HL
“Stacked” Formation
Press Box
Mechanics Manual has this as “no formal keys” FJ LJ R BJ BJ
Score Board U
1 0
2 0
4 0
<
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
< SJ HL 1

14. Initial Keys FJ LJ R BJ BJ U 2 0 1 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 4 0 SJ HL
Double Tight End
Press Box FJ LJ R BJ BJ
Score Board U
2 0
<
1 0
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
4 0
< SJ HL 1

15. Initial Keys FJ LJ R BJ BJ U 1 0 2 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 4 0 SJ HL
“Man in Motion”
Press Box FJ LJ R BJ BJ
Score Board U
<
1 0
2 0
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
4 0
< SJ HL 1

16. Standard Play FJ LJ R U BJ 1 0 2 0 4 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 SJ HL
Standard Play Proper Positioning
Press Box FJ LJ
20 Yards R U
Score Board BJ
25 Yards
1 0
2 0
4 0
<
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
<
20 Yards SJ HL 1

17. Inside The 25 / 20 Yard Line FJ LJ R U BJ 1 0 2 0 3 0 HL SJ
25 / 20 – 5 Yard Line Proper Positioning
Press Box FJ LJ
At The Pylon R U
On The Endline BJ
<
1 0
2 0
<
<
3 0
At The Pylon HL 1 SJ

18. Approaching The Goal Line
5 - G Yard Line Proper Positioning
> 5 Yard Line Proper Positioning
Press Box FJ LJ LJ
5 Yard Line R R U BJ
<
1 0
2 0
3 0
<
< HL HL 2 SJ 1

19. Reverse Goal Line Mechanics 3 To G
Press Box LJ FJ
3 Yard Line U BJ R
<
1 0
2 0
<
<
3 0 HL SJ 2

20. Moves To G If Appropriate
Reverse Goal Line Mechanics 3 – 5
Reverse Goal Line Mechanics 3 to 5
Press Box
LJ Moves To G
At The Snap LJ FJ
5 Yard Line U BJ R
HL Reads The Play And
Moves To G If Appropriate
<
1 0
2 0
<
<
3 0 HL SJ 2

21. Collapsing Box Coverage
Boxing The Play In
The “Accordion” Principle
Press Box FJ LJ
LJ and HL
Hold Position
Until The Ball
Crosses The Line
LJ and HL
Square In
At The Spot X X X X X X
At The Snap,
BJ, FJ And SJ
Move Back
All Officials
“Accordion” In R U
Score Board BJ
“Accordion” Principle
- Dead Ball Officiating
- Talk To Players
- Break Up Confrontations
- Make A Presence
1 0
2 0
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
4 0
<
<
<
< SJ HL 2 1

22. Long Run Down Sideline FJ LJ R U BJ 1 0 2 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 4 0 SJ HL
Keep Relative Positioning
Press Box FJ LJ
At The Snap,
BJ And Deep Wings
Start Backing Up R U
Score Board BJ
1 0
2 0
Trailing Official
<
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
4 0
Get The Spot
<
20 Yards SJ HL
Assume
Goal Line
Position
Clean Up
Out-Of-Bounds 1
Leading
Official

23. Long Run Down Sideline FJ LJ R U BJ 1 0 2 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 4 0 SJ HL
Keep Relative Positioning
- Don’t Run Over The SJ Or FJ
Press Box FJ LJ
2 Yard Line R U
Score Board BJ
1 0
2 0
3 0
Trailing Official
<
4 0
5 0
4 0
<
<
<
<
20 Yards SJ HL
Assume
Goal Line
Position 1
Leading
Official
Signals Touchdown

24. Punt Mechanics LJ FJ R BJ U 1 0 2 0 4 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 3 0 SJ HL
Punt Proper Positioning
Press Box LJ FJ R BJ
45 Yards
Score Board U
1 0
2 0
4 0
<
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
<
3 0
< SJ HL 4

25. “Reverse” Mechanics LJ FJ R U BJ 1 0 2 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 4 0 3 0 HL SJ
- Occurs On Punt And Interception Returns, HL/SJ And LJ/FJ Duties Flip
R Has Goal Line Duty
Press Box
Signals
Touchdown
Assume Goal
Line Position LJ FJ
Leading
Official
Trailing Official R
2 Yard Line
Referee Shares
Goal Line Duty
(Don’t Get Beat)
Score Board U BJ
1 0
2 0
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
4 0
<
3 0
<
<
<
< HL SJ 4

26. FG And Try Mechanics LJ FJ U SJ BJ R 2 0 1 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 4 0 3 0 HL
FG And Try Proper Positioning
Press Box LJ FJ U SJ BJ R
2 0
<
1 0
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
4 0
<
3 0
< HL 4

27. Of The Remaining Officials Are Exactly As
Measurement Mechanics
Press Box FJ
Field Judge
Clears Players Away
And Secures A New Ball
If Appropriate
The Mechanics
Of The Remaining Officials Are Exactly As
In A NFHS 5 Man Crew LJ FJ R BJ U HL
4 0
<
3 0
<
2 0
<
1 0
< SJ
Side Judge
Takes Charge
Of The Box 2 2 HL SJ

28. Penalty Enforcement Mechanics
- Checks And Balances (Opposite From NFHS)
- CCA Holds The Official Calling The Foul Primarily Responsible
For Making Sure The Enforcement Is Correct (Whole Crew Really Is)
Press Box FJ
Line Judge Goes
To Where The Foul
Will Be Assessed To LJ
Offensive Holding R BJ U
Head Linesman Marches Off
The Penalty
With The Umpire
From The Enforcement Spot
3 0
2 0
1 0
<
<
< HL SJ 2
All 3 Should End Up At The Same
Yard Line With The Same Down

29. During Game ResponsibilitiesSJ
Side Judge
Deals with all issues involving the game clock
Keeps the time on the field if the scoreboard malfunctions (NCAA)
Alerts the Referee of timing errors
Side Judge And Field Judge
During time outs, take charge of instructing the teams to return
to the field at the 15 seconds to ready-for-play whistle by the BJ
Take chief responsibility for communicating penalty information,
time outs remaining, game developments, etc. to the head coach
Acts as the apprentice to the HL or LJ and assists them whenever
possible
- Help with ball rotation, those coming out from the BJ and those
going in to the U SJ FJ .

30. Microphone Mechanics Sounding And Looking Professional
Practice, practice, practice
Say the words even in games you don’t have a microphone on you
- Face the press box and STAND STILL
There is no need to yell, that’s why you have a microphone
Speak in a conversational and unhurried tone
Be informative and concise, but not ridiculously brief
“Rehearse” with the Umpire to know you have all the information before
making a formal announcement (foul, down, ½ the distance, etc.)
Basic information includes:
Foul
Offense or defense / Kicking team or receiving team
Yardage of the penalty
Down
Use “Prior to the snap” or “After the conclusion of the play”
rather than “Dead ball”
Never say the number of the player or the player’s position, but when
necessary you can say vaguely “the player involved” .