Get Ready for Fall 2024
From: "Rich Kollen" - dayofgame@icloud.com
Subject: SCCFOA
Date: Friday, Septermber 22, 2023
With all the craziness we now have in major college football, Name Image Likeness (NIL), the transfer portal, and the break up the Pac 12 Conference, four of our local officials who started in the SCCFOA are now working in the Big Ten conference. I’d like to thank two of them, Francisco Villar and Rod Ammari, for giving back so much to our association. They’ve both helped in our spring practices, and recently in the fall scrimmages. They also spend time breaking down videos that help community college officials develop football officiating skills.
When a team is celebrating after a play, do not run into the celebration. Simply stand back and observe the action. It is dangerous to try to intervene. Football is a very emotional game. Let’s not be looking for quick celebrations with a couple of teammates. Last week, we had a team clearly orchestrated the celebration, as one player motioned his teammates together in the end zone, and they all did a dance. This was correctly flagged as excessive celebration, and the team was penalized on the kickoff. (Rule 9-2-1-d) All of the players participating in the choreographed act were assessed one unsportsmanlike conduct foul toward ejection.
We put out a training video last week for officials and coaches. The play was a stationary player within a yard of the line of scrimmage leaping over a lineman to block a try. We had the exact thing happen in the game last Saturday, and it was flagged for leaping. We spend a lot of time and effort putting out these training videos. Be sure to watch the short ten minutes of training. If the official who called this foul would have taken the time to watch the training video, I’m sure he would have realized when he saw it on the field, it was legal and not a foul. (Rule 9-1-11-b) It would have saved him from an incorrect call.
Every time there is a timeout, be sure to tell the head coach how many timeouts he has remaining in the half. This must be accurate. When the team has called their last timeout of the half, the Referee must inform the head coach that he is out of timeouts for the half. Also remember that a team cannot call consecutive timeouts during the same dead-ball period. (Rule 3-3-4)
Perhaps you've heard the phrase that a game isn’t decided until the final gun. For many years, a shot from a starter's pistol indicated the end of the quarter. In the early 60s, I remember seeing the person holding the down box hand the official the starter’s pistol at the end of each quarter. When I started officiating in the late 60s, it was already gone.
This is the third year all CCCAA games and contests are played under the Zero-Tolerance Policy. This was discussed at our clinic by Commissioner Sartoris. With that said, officials are to be working to enforce the Zero-Tolerance Policy without disrupting the game. Coaches need to help. There is absolutely no need for taunting or insulting language in our game. Use common sense, and get it taken care of efficiently.
We need to be better at penalty enforcements; particularly starting at the right enforcement spot. If you have a spot enforcement, make sure you know where the foul occurred. Bank that in your mind when you throw the flag. The flag will not magically land on the correct yard line. Know the spot of enforcement as you throw the flag, and remember it. It takes practice. Make it a point of emphasis for the crew this week.
When an offensive or defensive player is leaving the field during the substitution process, do not call a foul if the next step takes the player off the field. I believe some of you have been involved in replay training sessions. In replay, there is no rule…it’s wherever the video shows the location of the player at the snap. We don’t have replay, and it is a quick game. We give them a step. Use common sense.
When determining whether a pass is caught on a player who is stumbling, remember that the player must complete the process of the catch. To catch the ball means that the player (a) secures firm control of the ball in flight, (b) touches the ground inbounds with a body part, and (c) maintains control long enough to enable the player to perform an act common to the game. (Rule 2-4-3-a) Note, it doesn’t say that the player has to actually perform an act common to the game, just that he must maintain control long enough to do that. Let’s use common sense here. If a player secures control and takes several steps before going to the ground, it is likely a catch.
Want to be a better football official at this level? Think about the following:
Be decisive and understanding, especially with players and coaches (remember, the coaches are under tremendous pressure, as are the athletes).
Keep your composure (we need to be professional).
Demonstrate a lot of common sense. Understand the game.
Learn to resolve conflict. Try to deescalate any situation.
Do not promote yourself. Let your actions show how good you are.
Be a better listener than speaker.
Help other officials. Be a good crewmate. Leave your ego in the locker room.
Have a real passion for the game (be obsessed).
Know the rules and the purpose behind them (be the “go-to” official for the Referee).
“You fail all the time, but you aren’t a failure until you start blaming someone else.” – Bum Phillips
Rich Kollen
Director of Football Operations
Subject: SCCFOA
Date: Friday, Septermber 22, 2023
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
2023 WEEKLY BULLETIN #4With all the craziness we now have in major college football, Name Image Likeness (NIL), the transfer portal, and the break up the Pac 12 Conference, four of our local officials who started in the SCCFOA are now working in the Big Ten conference. I’d like to thank two of them, Francisco Villar and Rod Ammari, for giving back so much to our association. They’ve both helped in our spring practices, and recently in the fall scrimmages. They also spend time breaking down videos that help community college officials develop football officiating skills.
When a team is celebrating after a play, do not run into the celebration. Simply stand back and observe the action. It is dangerous to try to intervene. Football is a very emotional game. Let’s not be looking for quick celebrations with a couple of teammates. Last week, we had a team clearly orchestrated the celebration, as one player motioned his teammates together in the end zone, and they all did a dance. This was correctly flagged as excessive celebration, and the team was penalized on the kickoff. (Rule 9-2-1-d) All of the players participating in the choreographed act were assessed one unsportsmanlike conduct foul toward ejection.
We put out a training video last week for officials and coaches. The play was a stationary player within a yard of the line of scrimmage leaping over a lineman to block a try. We had the exact thing happen in the game last Saturday, and it was flagged for leaping. We spend a lot of time and effort putting out these training videos. Be sure to watch the short ten minutes of training. If the official who called this foul would have taken the time to watch the training video, I’m sure he would have realized when he saw it on the field, it was legal and not a foul. (Rule 9-1-11-b) It would have saved him from an incorrect call.
Every time there is a timeout, be sure to tell the head coach how many timeouts he has remaining in the half. This must be accurate. When the team has called their last timeout of the half, the Referee must inform the head coach that he is out of timeouts for the half. Also remember that a team cannot call consecutive timeouts during the same dead-ball period. (Rule 3-3-4)
Perhaps you've heard the phrase that a game isn’t decided until the final gun. For many years, a shot from a starter's pistol indicated the end of the quarter. In the early 60s, I remember seeing the person holding the down box hand the official the starter’s pistol at the end of each quarter. When I started officiating in the late 60s, it was already gone.
This is the third year all CCCAA games and contests are played under the Zero-Tolerance Policy. This was discussed at our clinic by Commissioner Sartoris. With that said, officials are to be working to enforce the Zero-Tolerance Policy without disrupting the game. Coaches need to help. There is absolutely no need for taunting or insulting language in our game. Use common sense, and get it taken care of efficiently.
We need to be better at penalty enforcements; particularly starting at the right enforcement spot. If you have a spot enforcement, make sure you know where the foul occurred. Bank that in your mind when you throw the flag. The flag will not magically land on the correct yard line. Know the spot of enforcement as you throw the flag, and remember it. It takes practice. Make it a point of emphasis for the crew this week.
When an offensive or defensive player is leaving the field during the substitution process, do not call a foul if the next step takes the player off the field. I believe some of you have been involved in replay training sessions. In replay, there is no rule…it’s wherever the video shows the location of the player at the snap. We don’t have replay, and it is a quick game. We give them a step. Use common sense.
When determining whether a pass is caught on a player who is stumbling, remember that the player must complete the process of the catch. To catch the ball means that the player (a) secures firm control of the ball in flight, (b) touches the ground inbounds with a body part, and (c) maintains control long enough to enable the player to perform an act common to the game. (Rule 2-4-3-a) Note, it doesn’t say that the player has to actually perform an act common to the game, just that he must maintain control long enough to do that. Let’s use common sense here. If a player secures control and takes several steps before going to the ground, it is likely a catch.
Want to be a better football official at this level? Think about the following:
Be decisive and understanding, especially with players and coaches (remember, the coaches are under tremendous pressure, as are the athletes).
Keep your composure (we need to be professional).
Demonstrate a lot of common sense. Understand the game.
Learn to resolve conflict. Try to deescalate any situation.
Do not promote yourself. Let your actions show how good you are.
Be a better listener than speaker.
Help other officials. Be a good crewmate. Leave your ego in the locker room.
Have a real passion for the game (be obsessed).
Know the rules and the purpose behind them (be the “go-to” official for the Referee).
“You fail all the time, but you aren’t a failure until you start blaming someone else.” – Bum Phillips
Rich Kollen
Director of Football Operations