Get Ready for Fall 2024
From: Rich Kollen
Subject: SCCFOA
Date: Friday, September 13, 2024
I want to congratulate our coaches and student-athletes, because there was not one targeting or ejection in the 16 games we played last weekend. I also want to acknowledge the great job by our athletic trainers who kept the officials, players, and coaches well-hydrated during the hottest Saturday we’ve had in years.
Officials must remember that what you say to a coach can (and probably will) be misquoted and/or misinterpreted. A coach has already reported a comment made by an official regarding a simple question. Remember, silence can never be misquoted. Don't stop communicating, but remain 100% professional. When discussing rules in depth with a coach, make sure to have another official present.
Game management and facility personnel are very important. ADs are reminded to check and prepare all necessary equipment and personnel, including scoreboards and game clocks, play clocks, chains, ball persons, chain crew, pylons, yard markers, trained scorekeepers, and timers. Nothing interferes more with game administration and the flow of the game than stopping to fix clock problems. Clock operators are asked to come down to the field when they arrive, rather than having officials go up to the booth to instruct them. Please have the clock operators meet the officials on the field. We would like to have this done 45 minutes prior to kickoff. Often, the operators are not there 45 minutes ahead of time, and getting up to the booth is both time-consuming and takes away from the prep duties of the officials.
I understand the two-minute timeout is new. We had a situation last Saturday where the crew stopped the game at 1:55 after the play was over to correctly announce the two-minute timeout. What they did incorrectly was bring the clock back to two minutes. In the future, whatever is on the clock when it is stopped for the time out is where it will be when play resumes, starting on the snap. (Rule 3-3-5-a)
Referees must be aware that if a passer's arm is contacted during the throwing motion of a forward pass (the hand intentionally moving forward with the ball firmly in the passer's control), the pass is ruled forward, even if the ball lands behind the passer. (Rule 2-19-2-b)
All of our officials come from the high school ranks, which currently uses National Federation rules. There are several (some very important) differences between high school rules and NCAA rules. I advise each official to review the rule differences before you work a college game. They are available on the website: www.sccfo.org.
Our evaluators report that we’re taking too much time administering penalties. I know it’s the first week, and you may have some new crew members, but we have to speed this up. Our games are going well over three hours. There is no reason for our games to go that long, even with old timing rules.
When a ball carrier's helmet comes completely off during a play, the ball immediately becomes dead, and the play is over. (Rule 4-1-3-q) If any player's helmet comes off, unless as a direct result of a foul (such as grabbing of the face mask, etc.), the player must leave the game for the next play. (Rule 3-3-10-a) If the player continues to participate beyond the immediate action after the helmet coming off, it becomes a personal foul, regardless of whether they put it back on. (Rule 9-1-17) That player may remain in the game only if their team takes a charged time out. (Rule 3-3-10-a)
During a scrimmage kick situation, when there is going to be no return (e.g. fair catch, kick out of bounds, or touchback), do everything you can to avoid fouls for things such as a block in the back or a holding foul. These are fouls that have nothing to do with the result of the play. That said, if it is a safety concern, or rises to the level of a personal foul, please continue to call those.
We had several illegal blocks below the waist called last Saturday. I don’t know where our student-athletes are learning this, since they could not do it in high school. Coaches/Officials, if the block starts at the waist, and then they slide down, this is not a block below the waist. (Rule 2-3-2-b)
Good officials have developed a feel for the game. They can sense the direction the game is headed, they know when to pass on a call, or when to make a game-changing call. They can sense tensions building in the game, and know how to tighten it up. This is not an inherent talent; you need to work hard to understand the momentum of the game and the importance to our student-athletes and coaches. Please remember that ALL games are big games to these people. That said, there are some games that are BEGGING to be over. Let’s not get in the way.
Call the obvious. Credibility begins with getting the easy calls right. Miss the obvious and you’ll have a hard time selling your credibility with the tough call.
Substitution mechanics are some of the most important mechanics that each crew must do each and every play of each game. Officials – please review Rule 3-5 during your pregame conference this weekend. Every official has responsibilities for substitutions. The purpose of our substitution mechanics is to not allow the ball to be snapped until all the substitution is completed. Umpires you are key person to prevent the ball to be snapped. Whether you're in the offense backfield or the defensive backfield establish a rhythm with the center (get their names pregame) to prevent him from snapping the ball until all substitutions have been completed. Summarizing, when Team A sends in substitutes, or the play ends in Team A’s team box area, anyone on the crew should communicate “subs, subs, subs” and step onto the field with their arms in the “T” position. Once the Referee assumes the T position, all other officials may return to their presnap positions. During this period, the Umpire should be communicating with the center and not allow the ball to be snapped. If the ball is snapped while the Referee is in the T position, kill the play immediately. The first instance is a violation and warning for the Team A head coach. The second time is a UNS on the head coach. Overall, the substitution process is in place to prohibit Team A from gaining an unfair advantage by snapping the ball without giving Team B an opportunity to “match up” based on Team A players and formations.
Spending today complaining about yesterday won't make tomorrow any better.
Rich Kollen
Director of Football Operations
Subject: SCCFOA
Date: Friday, September 13, 2024
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
2024 WEEKLY BULLETIN #2I want to congratulate our coaches and student-athletes, because there was not one targeting or ejection in the 16 games we played last weekend. I also want to acknowledge the great job by our athletic trainers who kept the officials, players, and coaches well-hydrated during the hottest Saturday we’ve had in years.
Officials must remember that what you say to a coach can (and probably will) be misquoted and/or misinterpreted. A coach has already reported a comment made by an official regarding a simple question. Remember, silence can never be misquoted. Don't stop communicating, but remain 100% professional. When discussing rules in depth with a coach, make sure to have another official present.
Game management and facility personnel are very important. ADs are reminded to check and prepare all necessary equipment and personnel, including scoreboards and game clocks, play clocks, chains, ball persons, chain crew, pylons, yard markers, trained scorekeepers, and timers. Nothing interferes more with game administration and the flow of the game than stopping to fix clock problems. Clock operators are asked to come down to the field when they arrive, rather than having officials go up to the booth to instruct them. Please have the clock operators meet the officials on the field. We would like to have this done 45 minutes prior to kickoff. Often, the operators are not there 45 minutes ahead of time, and getting up to the booth is both time-consuming and takes away from the prep duties of the officials.
I understand the two-minute timeout is new. We had a situation last Saturday where the crew stopped the game at 1:55 after the play was over to correctly announce the two-minute timeout. What they did incorrectly was bring the clock back to two minutes. In the future, whatever is on the clock when it is stopped for the time out is where it will be when play resumes, starting on the snap. (Rule 3-3-5-a)
Referees must be aware that if a passer's arm is contacted during the throwing motion of a forward pass (the hand intentionally moving forward with the ball firmly in the passer's control), the pass is ruled forward, even if the ball lands behind the passer. (Rule 2-19-2-b)
All of our officials come from the high school ranks, which currently uses National Federation rules. There are several (some very important) differences between high school rules and NCAA rules. I advise each official to review the rule differences before you work a college game. They are available on the website: www.sccfo.org.
Our evaluators report that we’re taking too much time administering penalties. I know it’s the first week, and you may have some new crew members, but we have to speed this up. Our games are going well over three hours. There is no reason for our games to go that long, even with old timing rules.
When a ball carrier's helmet comes completely off during a play, the ball immediately becomes dead, and the play is over. (Rule 4-1-3-q) If any player's helmet comes off, unless as a direct result of a foul (such as grabbing of the face mask, etc.), the player must leave the game for the next play. (Rule 3-3-10-a) If the player continues to participate beyond the immediate action after the helmet coming off, it becomes a personal foul, regardless of whether they put it back on. (Rule 9-1-17) That player may remain in the game only if their team takes a charged time out. (Rule 3-3-10-a)
During a scrimmage kick situation, when there is going to be no return (e.g. fair catch, kick out of bounds, or touchback), do everything you can to avoid fouls for things such as a block in the back or a holding foul. These are fouls that have nothing to do with the result of the play. That said, if it is a safety concern, or rises to the level of a personal foul, please continue to call those.
We had several illegal blocks below the waist called last Saturday. I don’t know where our student-athletes are learning this, since they could not do it in high school. Coaches/Officials, if the block starts at the waist, and then they slide down, this is not a block below the waist. (Rule 2-3-2-b)
Good officials have developed a feel for the game. They can sense the direction the game is headed, they know when to pass on a call, or when to make a game-changing call. They can sense tensions building in the game, and know how to tighten it up. This is not an inherent talent; you need to work hard to understand the momentum of the game and the importance to our student-athletes and coaches. Please remember that ALL games are big games to these people. That said, there are some games that are BEGGING to be over. Let’s not get in the way.
Call the obvious. Credibility begins with getting the easy calls right. Miss the obvious and you’ll have a hard time selling your credibility with the tough call.
Substitution mechanics are some of the most important mechanics that each crew must do each and every play of each game. Officials – please review Rule 3-5 during your pregame conference this weekend. Every official has responsibilities for substitutions. The purpose of our substitution mechanics is to not allow the ball to be snapped until all the substitution is completed. Umpires you are key person to prevent the ball to be snapped. Whether you're in the offense backfield or the defensive backfield establish a rhythm with the center (get their names pregame) to prevent him from snapping the ball until all substitutions have been completed. Summarizing, when Team A sends in substitutes, or the play ends in Team A’s team box area, anyone on the crew should communicate “subs, subs, subs” and step onto the field with their arms in the “T” position. Once the Referee assumes the T position, all other officials may return to their presnap positions. During this period, the Umpire should be communicating with the center and not allow the ball to be snapped. If the ball is snapped while the Referee is in the T position, kill the play immediately. The first instance is a violation and warning for the Team A head coach. The second time is a UNS on the head coach. Overall, the substitution process is in place to prohibit Team A from gaining an unfair advantage by snapping the ball without giving Team B an opportunity to “match up” based on Team A players and formations.
Spending today complaining about yesterday won't make tomorrow any better.
Rich Kollen
Director of Football Operations