1. Jay Sherry Nobscot Valley Football Officials Association September 17, 2015

2.  Only while ball is dead. If ball is live, then LBF, Substitution infraction, 5 yards from previous spot  Departures must be “immediate” = “within three seconds of sub arriving” at huddle or departing position. DBF, 5 yards from succeeding spot if not.  Subs remain in for 1 play & sub outs stay out for 1 play. Exceptions: charged timeout, a score, or end of period. DBF, 5 yards.  If late subs by Team A, B is allowed chance to sub. Enforced by R and U. U stands over ball until R signals. If play clock expires, Delay of Game on one of the teams.  1st foul: DBF for Delay of Game on either A or B. R decides which team was too slow in subbing. 5 yards succeeding spot. R warns offending head coach that it’s USC next time.  2 nd +: DBF for Team USC, 15 yards succeeding spot. 2 Jay Sherry

3.  Team A can’t break huddle or establish formation with 12+, or keep 12+ in the huddle for 3 seconds or more. R or U’s call, Blow and Throw, DBF, Substitution Infraction, 5 yards at succeeding spot.  Team B can keep 12+ on the field after RFP to anticipate the offense, but can’t establish formation with 12+. Also Blow and Throw to shut play down, by BJ or LJ.  If officials don’t realize 12+ until during play, LBF, 5 yards at previous spot. Not ideal, but OK to flag foul after down over. 3 Jay Sherry

4.  Team A counted by R and U, after subs. Team B counted by BJ and LJ. Signal with fists/thumbs up.  Tip: Start counting of a Team from the OTHER Team’s sideline, to pick up any last second subs.  HL and LJ monitor subbing of their respective teams, noting jersey numbers of subs in and subs out  Free Kick Downs: Officials at Team A’s restraining line count A players. (Could be U or BJ, depending on mechanics manual). Other officials count B players. All signal readiness to R before kick. 4 Jay Sherry

5.  Shift = “Simultaneous move by 2+ A players during scrimmage down after RFP & before snap.”  Shift only ends when ALL players have paused motionless for a second, otherwise it continues.  “Motionless” = “No movement of feet, body, head or arms.”  If still moving at Snap, LBF, Illegal Shift, 5 yards from previous spot. 5 Jay Sherry

6.  After any Shift is over, with Team A all motionless, one back can go into Motion, but not toward LOS at snap  If two or more A players go into Motion, it is another shift, requiring another motionless pause.  A’s linemen can’t go into Motion directly. First step back into the backfield, pause to reset, then start motion.  LBF, Illegal Motion, 5 yards from previous spot. HL or LJ call. 6 Jay Sherry

7.  Snapper: establishes position & touches ball. Rolling OK, but no lifting or moving. No part of body beyond NZ, no sudden false simulations of snap. DBF, False Start/Illegal Snap, 5 yards succeeding spot. U, HL, LJ to call. Preventive officiating: warning 1 st time, unless Team B jumps in reaction  After RFP & snapper touches ball, remaining A players to keep hands, feet & helmets out of NZ. DBF, Encroachment, 5 yards succeeding spot. HL or LJ call. Preventive officiating: 1 st warning to A’s linemen on this, during first possession series. 7 Jay Sherry

8.  Nine Yard Marks: All A players between the nines sometime between previous down and snap. All Subs in must come in beyond nines. Unfair to B to hide out next to sideline. DBF, illegal formation, 5 yards succeeding spot.  No False Starts by Team A! After RFP, no: 1. Quick, jerky movements 2. Simulation of start of play 3. Restricted linemen in stance picking up hands quickly 4. Team A never pausing motionless 8 Jay Sherry

9.  All these are LBFs, either Illegal Formations/Motions/Shifts, 5 yards from previous spot.  Flag these, but don’t blow these plays dead! 1. All Team A players inbounds. 2. Five linemen numbered 50 – 79. U makes this call. 3. No more than four backs in the backfield. HL and LJ make this call by counting and punching out if widest receiver is off LOS. 4. No Shifts underway. See prior slide. 5. Only one Man legally in Motion. See prior slide. 6. Numbering Exceptions on Scrimmage Kicks: If A in scrimmage kick formation (no QB under center, and one player 7 yards back to receive long snap in obvious kicking attempt), exceptions OK on five linemen #50 – 79. Linemen with numbers outside range must be interior linemen when Snapper touches the ball & remain in ineligible position throughout down. U makes this call. 9 Jay Sherry

10.  Rule 2-27-4: A “lineman” for Team A is the Snapper, or another player whose helmet breaks the plane of the Snapper’s waist.  A “back” is not a lineman, whose helmet doesn’t break the waist of nearest lineman, or who is receiving hand-to-hand snap (QB)  To help, HL and LJ should show A’s receivers where the LOS is:  Put foot forward to provide LOS mark  Adjust mark for receivers who lean further forward into NZ  No coaching of A’s receivers, just reply to questions with  “Here is your line of scrimmage” while pointing, or  “I have you on the line of scrimmage, number 82”, or  “Don’t make me guess, number 85”  Formation Philosophy #1: Keep A’s tackles honest as they take stance before pass blocking. No semicircles around the pocket at the snap, because it’s unfair to pass rushers. If tackles are just sloppy, warn them once before flagging. If they are trying to gain an advantage, flag it. 10 Jay Sherry

11. Keep receivers eligible if possible, if Team B is not being deceived Avoid covering up receivers Accept even a slight stagger if you can: “Blade of Grass” theory The next guy’s number will tell you everything Don’t go looking for formation foul, but do warn the players or coach 75 88 44 88 75 88 81 Make this guy ON Make this guy OFF Make ONE of these guys on Credit: Jonathan Schwanbeck 11 Jay Sherry

12.  All of these are Blow and Throw, DBFs by B for Offside or Delay of Game, 5 yards from succeeding spot.  Shut these plays down!  Calls are typically made by U, HL, or LJ. 1. Crossing NZ with contact against A = Offside 2. Entering NZ causing threatened A lineman to react = Offside 3. Crossing NZ without contact & continuing to charge at Team A back = Offside 4. Making disconcerting sounds to mimic or disrupt A’s signals = Delay of Game 5. Touching ball during legal snap = Delay of Game 6. While stationary outside NZ and within 1 yard of LOS, making exaggerated movements designed to cause false start by A = Delay of Game 12 Jay Sherry

13.  Let play continue for these: 1. In the NZ at the snap without contact = Offside 2. Team B player out of bounds at snap = Delay of Game  Both LBFs, 5 yards from previous spot 13 Jay Sherry

14.  Play Clock and Game Situation Awareness  Is clock running or stopped correctly?  Is a timeout request from my side’s coach likely?  Is the down on the box right?  Note the Line to Gain, and say the yard line to yourself  How should I move at the snap?  Third and short, likely run: step forward to get good spot  Third and long, likely pass: step downfield with my receivers  At the B-5, potential TD: step downfield toward GL, outside of pylon  At the A-5, potential safety: step up field toward GL, outside of pylon 14 Jay Sherry