1. Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association
Football 7 Man Mechanics

2. Reminders
LJ will stay on the line of scrimmage one all forward passes and will give the forward or backward signal (this will be for 5 Man Crew Also).
BJ/SJ/FJ will start 5 yards behind the deepest receiver on punts. If the ball is snapped from the 40 or in, the BJ/SJ/FJ will start on the goal line. If you have an exceptional punter, you may start on the goal line if the ball is snapped between the 40 and 50. In this scenario, there may not be an exact answer on where to start…you just need to feel it out according to the game.

3. Pregame/Coin Toss Pregame Meeting with Coaches
All officials will meet with the head coaches in the pregame meeting.
Pregame Responsibilities
- All officials’ pregame responsibilities will be the same as a 5 Man Crew.
- The Side Judge will work with the Head Linesman during pregame.
- The Field Judge will work with the Back Judge during pregame.
Coin Toss
- Referee and Umpire (R to the right) will go out to the center of the field from the press box side just before the 3 minute mark. Referee will then signal to each sideline to bring out the captains.
- The Side Judge will replace the Umpire and the Field Judge will replace the Referee’s positions on the sideline.
- At the 3 minute mark and after the signal from the Referee, all six remaining officials will start walking out with the captains.
- All 6 officials will stop at the hash marks and the captains will continue to the center of the field.

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

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

6. Onside Kick – Six In The Box
Referee to Determine When to Go to Six in the Box
Proper Positioning
Press Box U FJ LJ
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 BJ HL 1

7. 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

8. Inside The 20 Yard Line FJ LJ R U BJ 1 0 2 0 3 0 HL SJ
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

9. Approaching The Goal Line
FJ or SJ away from ball can pinch in off sideline to get a better look (NFL doesn’t, NCAA does)
Press Box FJ LJ
5 Yard Line R U BJ
<
1 0
2 0
<
3 0
< HL 2 SJ 1

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

11. Pre-Snap Duties FJ LJ R U BJ 1 0 2 0 4 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 SJ HL Counting
Press Box FJ LJ
Count Offense
Count Defense R U
Score Board BJ
1 0
2 0
4 0
<
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
< SJ HL 1
Chains

12. Collapsing Box Coverage
Boxing The Play In
The “Accordion” Principle
Press Box FJ LJ
LJ and HL
Square In
At The Spot X X X X X X
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

13. Long Run Down Sideline FJ LJ R U BJ 2 0 1 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
Trailing Official
Assume
Goal Line
Position
2 0
<
1 0
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
4 0
Get The Spot
<
20 Yards SJ HL
Clean Up
Out-Of-Bounds 1
Leading
Official

14. Long Run Down Sideline FJ LJ R U BJ 2 0 1 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
Trailing Official
Assume
Goal Line
Position
2 0
<
1 0
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
4 0
<
20 Yards SJ HL
Leading
Official 1
Signals Touchdown

15. Initial Keys FJ LJ R U BJ 2 0 1 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 4 0 SJ HL Pro Set
Press Box FJ LJ R U
Score Board BJ
2 0
<
1 0
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
4 0
< SJ HL 1

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

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

18. Initial Keys FJ LJ R BJ U 2 0 1 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 4 0 SJ HL
“Stacked” Formation
Press Box FJ LJ
No Formal Keys R BJ
Score Board U
2 0
<
1 0
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
4 0
< SJ HL 1

19. Initial Keys FJ LJ R 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
Score Board U
2 0
<
1 0
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
4 0
< SJ HL 1

20. Punt Mechanics FJ LJ R BJ U 1 0 2 0 4 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 3 0 SJ HL
Punt Proper Positioning
Press Box FJ LJ R BJ
Score Board U
1 0
2 0
4 0
<
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
<
3 0
< SJ HL
If Inside the 50, Set Up on Goal Line 4

21. “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
Assume Goal
Line Position LJ FJ
Signals
Touchdown
Leading
Official
Trailing Official R
Referee Shares
Goal Line Duty
(Don’t Get Beat)
2 Yard Line
Score Board U BJ
1 0
2 0
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
4 0
<
3 0
<
<
<
< HL SJ 4

22. FG And Try Mechanics LJ FJ U SJ BJ R 2 0 4 0 1 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 3 0 HL
FG And Try Proper Positioning
Press Box LJ FJ U SJ BJ R
2 0
4 0
<
1 0
<
<
3 0
<
4 0
5 0
<
3 0
< HL 4
If Blocked or Faked Outside the 25, FJ and BJ move to Pylons

23. Measurement Mechanics
Press Box FJ
Field Judge
Clears Players Away
And Secures A New Ball
If Appropriate 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

24. During Game Responsibilities
ECO
Deals with all issues involving the game clock
Keeps the time on the field or in the press box according to TSSAA policy
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 R
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
Back Judge
-Keeps the 25 sec. count and timing of timeouts
Referee
-Blow your whistle with several “toots” to alert crew and teams that the ball will be made ready for play in approximately 15 seconds. .

25. 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”
-Never announce colors or team names .