Get Ready for Fall 2024
From: Rich Kollen
Subject: SCCFOA
Date: Thursday, August 28, 2025
As we get ready to kick off the 2025 SoCal Community College football season, I would like to take a moment to recognize our former commissioner, Jim Sartoris. Until this year, Jim was the only commissioner the SCFA has ever had. Jim retired a few months ago, and I want to thank him for his many years of dedication and leadership. I truly valued the strong working relationship we had and will miss our regular Sunday and Monday phone calls. At the same time, I am confident that our new commissioner, Chuck Lyon, will carry on Jim’s legacy and provide the same steady leadership for our organization. Chuck was a head football coach for many years and won the 2004 State and National Championships at Canyon College.
At both the coaches meeting and when speaking to over 200 officials, Commissioner Lyon emphasized that the state’s decorum policy will be strictly enforced. Coaches, please remember that you are responsible for the actions of your assistant coaches. Our officials have been instructed not to engage in discussions with assistants, so we ask for your cooperation in helping us uphold this standard.
I have reviewed the new NCAA rule changes, and a few have a direct impact at our level.
• Clock on First Downs: We will continue to stop the clock on all first downs. Although this conflicts with the NCAA rule, it gives our student-athletes more opportunities and keeps the game flowing.
• Defensive Verbalization: When the offense is preparing to snap the ball, the defense is limited to using only two words: “move” and “stem.” Any other words or calls that cause the offense to react will be deemed a foul on the defense for disconcerting signals.
• Beginning with the 2025 season, coaches will be permitted to use up to 18 video tablets for coaching purposes. With this change, first-half targeting calls that result in ejections can be reviewed by officials at halftime.
• The process is as follows: during the first half, an administrator must notify the officials if they wish to have a play reviewed. At the end of the half, the administrator provides a tablet to the Referee, who, along with another member of the officiating crew, will review the play in a secure area away from coaches, players and fans.
• The referee will announce the result of the review at the start of the second half. Both coaches must agree to use this process before the game begins. Athletic directors should review the capabilities of their systems to determine how far these tablets can be taken off the field. Remember, only an administrator is permitted to hand the tablet to the Referee at halftime.
I received a call from a coach this week regarding duplicate numbers. I respect that many of our programs have large rosters, but please remember the rules: Only two players per roster may share the same jersey number. For example, you may have two players wearing #1, two wearing #2, two wearing #3, and so on—but no more than two with the same number. (Rule 9-2-2-e) You may never, even on special teams, have two players with the same number participate in the same down. (Rule 1-4-2-b) Two players who play the same position may not wear the same number at any time during the game. (Rule 9-2-2-d)
Our officials attended a seven-hour meeting last Sunday at Orange Coast College, where we reviewed the new rules and emphasized the importance of coach decorum. We were fortunate to have Mike Pereira, Fox Sports’ rules analyst, who I’m sure many of you have seen on television, as our guest speaker.
Our head coaches are so important to our program, especially with the emphasis on sportsmanship and sideline control. I would like to welcome our new coaches: Russel Gordon – AVC; Mariques Cooper – LBCC; James Griffin-Avant – San Bernardino; Kevin Craft – Riverside; Jeff Fisher – Saddleback; Simon Fuentes – Santa Ana, and Tyler Thompson – Bakersfield. Best of luck, and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to give me a call.
Athletic trainers recommend starting proper hydration at least three days prior to an event. With temperatures forecasted in the high 90s this weekend—and synthetic turf adding as much as 15°—it is essential to start drinking water now. Referees may consider official time-outs for water breaks this Saturday. Please remember that the safety and well-being of our student-athletes must remain the highest priority.
Sadly, I must share that we recently lost two members of our officiating family. Jack O’Cain, a longtime official and Division I supervisor, who began his career in community college football, and Scott Root, an active Big Sky Referee, who also got his start in the SCCFOA, have both passed away. We are grateful for their many contributions to our football community, and they will be deeply missed.
Good luck this week, and thank you again to all of you for your support of the athletes and this great game!
Rich Kollen
Director of Football Operations
Subject: SCCFOA
Date: Thursday, August 28, 2025
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
2025 WEEKLY BULLETIN #1As we get ready to kick off the 2025 SoCal Community College football season, I would like to take a moment to recognize our former commissioner, Jim Sartoris. Until this year, Jim was the only commissioner the SCFA has ever had. Jim retired a few months ago, and I want to thank him for his many years of dedication and leadership. I truly valued the strong working relationship we had and will miss our regular Sunday and Monday phone calls. At the same time, I am confident that our new commissioner, Chuck Lyon, will carry on Jim’s legacy and provide the same steady leadership for our organization. Chuck was a head football coach for many years and won the 2004 State and National Championships at Canyon College.
At both the coaches meeting and when speaking to over 200 officials, Commissioner Lyon emphasized that the state’s decorum policy will be strictly enforced. Coaches, please remember that you are responsible for the actions of your assistant coaches. Our officials have been instructed not to engage in discussions with assistants, so we ask for your cooperation in helping us uphold this standard.
I have reviewed the new NCAA rule changes, and a few have a direct impact at our level.
• Clock on First Downs: We will continue to stop the clock on all first downs. Although this conflicts with the NCAA rule, it gives our student-athletes more opportunities and keeps the game flowing.
• Defensive Verbalization: When the offense is preparing to snap the ball, the defense is limited to using only two words: “move” and “stem.” Any other words or calls that cause the offense to react will be deemed a foul on the defense for disconcerting signals.
• Beginning with the 2025 season, coaches will be permitted to use up to 18 video tablets for coaching purposes. With this change, first-half targeting calls that result in ejections can be reviewed by officials at halftime.
• The process is as follows: during the first half, an administrator must notify the officials if they wish to have a play reviewed. At the end of the half, the administrator provides a tablet to the Referee, who, along with another member of the officiating crew, will review the play in a secure area away from coaches, players and fans.
• The referee will announce the result of the review at the start of the second half. Both coaches must agree to use this process before the game begins. Athletic directors should review the capabilities of their systems to determine how far these tablets can be taken off the field. Remember, only an administrator is permitted to hand the tablet to the Referee at halftime.
I received a call from a coach this week regarding duplicate numbers. I respect that many of our programs have large rosters, but please remember the rules: Only two players per roster may share the same jersey number. For example, you may have two players wearing #1, two wearing #2, two wearing #3, and so on—but no more than two with the same number. (Rule 9-2-2-e) You may never, even on special teams, have two players with the same number participate in the same down. (Rule 1-4-2-b) Two players who play the same position may not wear the same number at any time during the game. (Rule 9-2-2-d)
Our officials attended a seven-hour meeting last Sunday at Orange Coast College, where we reviewed the new rules and emphasized the importance of coach decorum. We were fortunate to have Mike Pereira, Fox Sports’ rules analyst, who I’m sure many of you have seen on television, as our guest speaker.
Our head coaches are so important to our program, especially with the emphasis on sportsmanship and sideline control. I would like to welcome our new coaches: Russel Gordon – AVC; Mariques Cooper – LBCC; James Griffin-Avant – San Bernardino; Kevin Craft – Riverside; Jeff Fisher – Saddleback; Simon Fuentes – Santa Ana, and Tyler Thompson – Bakersfield. Best of luck, and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to give me a call.
Athletic trainers recommend starting proper hydration at least three days prior to an event. With temperatures forecasted in the high 90s this weekend—and synthetic turf adding as much as 15°—it is essential to start drinking water now. Referees may consider official time-outs for water breaks this Saturday. Please remember that the safety and well-being of our student-athletes must remain the highest priority.
Sadly, I must share that we recently lost two members of our officiating family. Jack O’Cain, a longtime official and Division I supervisor, who began his career in community college football, and Scott Root, an active Big Sky Referee, who also got his start in the SCCFOA, have both passed away. We are grateful for their many contributions to our football community, and they will be deeply missed.
Good luck this week, and thank you again to all of you for your support of the athletes and this great game!
Rich Kollen
Director of Football Operations