Get Ready for Fall 2024
From: Rich Kollen
Subject: SCCFOA
Date: Friday, September 27, 2024
As we move into week four games this Saturday, I want to discuss some sportsmanship issues we experienced last Saturday. We are playing with stricter sportsmanship rules this season, which led to eight ejected student-athletes. Coaches, please talk to your team this week and remind them that sportsmanship issues are being emphasized. The officials would much rather you take care of it as a coach than have to penalize a team.
A coach reported to me that, in the first half, he was able to wander down to the 10-yard line, and then in the second half, the officials correctly kept him outside the 20-yard line. Crews need to be consistent in this enforcement, and warnings should be used, when appropriate. On the same note, a lot of our fields are marked with the team area between the 25-yard lines. This was the rule prior to the pandemic, but the team area has now been expanded to the 20-yard lines. (Rule 1-2-4-a)
From the observer's reports, we also need to be consistent with our long snappers. They cannot pick the ball up to adjust it. The ball needs to be at or near the ground. (Rule 7-1-3-a-2) Note, if they do pick it up, and there is no reaction from the defense, a warning is appropriate. If you warn the snapper, make sure you relay that warning to the head coach.
We had a wide receiver step out of bounds after contact with a defensive back while running up the sideline. The receiver came back in bounds and then caught the pass. Can the receiver re-establish himself back in bounds to catch the ball? Yes, provided he went out of bounds due to contact by an opponent. (Rule 7-3-4 Exception) What constitutes re-establishment? The player must touch the ground inbounds without simultaneously being out of bounds. (Rule 4-2-1-b)
When a free kick is touched (whether caught or recovered) by a player with one foot out of bounds, it is a free kick out of bounds. (Rule 6-2-1) The receiving team has options. (Rule 6-2-1 Penalty) Last week, we had a player, who was completely out of bounds, recover a free kick and down the ball at the 1-yard line. The ball was erroneously spotted at the 1-yard line. Someone HAD to know this rule. It is hard for me to defend this miss to our coaches.
We have had a lot of discussion on the forward-backward pass we showed on the training video last week. At this level (with no instant replay), when in doubt, make it a forward pass. When in question a pass thrown in or behind the neutral zone is forward rather than a backward pass. (Rule 2-19-2-a). Crews, please discuss the mechanics on how to handle these plays. They are tough calls. Coaches, if you are using this type of play, make the first pass clearly backward to avoid this issue.
After a safety, you can free kick the ball either by punt, dropkick, or place kick. Remember, if a kicking tee is present on the field for these types of kicks, the ball must be touching the tee, although the ball can be on the ground. (Rule 2-16-4-b)
The coaches association has a contract for a football called “big game football.” As stated, the contract is with the coaches association, not the NCAA or CCCAA. Officials are not to get involved in what ball the school wants to use, provided it is an approved NCAA ball. (Rule 1-3) You can put in the game report that they refused to use a big game football, but this is for information only. Our standard is not to get involved in these types of situations.
On forward passes, any intentional forward movement of the passer’s hand (not arm) with the ball firmly in their control starts the forward pass, UNLESS the player CLEARLY starts to bring the ball back with firm control to the passer’s body. (Rule 2-19-2-b) That said, if the passer’s hand starts forward, and then he loses control, it is a forward pass. To be a fumble after the hand starts forward with control, it has to be very clear that the player is trying to tuck the ball. Last week we had a passer, who was not under duress, try to throw a pass that slipped out of his hand after the hand had started moving forward. The officials correctly ruled it incomplete. When in question, the ball is passed and not fumbled. (Rule 2-19-2-c)
For years, I have used the term “passer under duress” when it comes to throwing the ball away. It was pointed out to me that the word “duress” is not in the rulebook. This refers to a passer throwing the ball away to conserve time or loss of yardage. However, the Officiating Standards does include the following: “A Team A player who originally controls the snap can throw the ball anywhere if they are not under duress, except spiking the ball straight down.” (Part II: Section 7-2) The penalty for intentional grounding is loss of down at the spot of the foul.
When the ball carrier is trying to get the ball out of the end zone to avoid a safety, the whole ball must be out of the end zone. (A.R. 8-5-1-I) Going in for a touchdown, any part of the ball breaking the plane is a touchdown.
A lot of colleges are running a shuttle pass. This is a forward pass, not a lateral or fumble. This play happens fast, and it takes complete focus to get it correct. Do not be surprised when this happens. It is a smart play by the offense, as the dropped pass is simply incomplete and not a fumble. Referees have to concentrate to see this and rule properly.
When I started community college, we only had five officials on each game. When we added two officials, we required the two deep officials, field judge and side judge, to close in after every play. This allowed the deep officials to help clean up dead-ball action and add to the overall administration of the game. We have gotten away from this a little. In reviewing video, we have too many deep officials watching the end of plays and not closing in. Please work on this in your games this week. Make your presence known.
“You are either green and growing, or ripe and rotting.” Frosty Westering
Rich Kollen
Director of Football Operations
Subject: SCCFOA
Date: Friday, September 27, 2024
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
2024 WEEKLY BULLETIN #4As we move into week four games this Saturday, I want to discuss some sportsmanship issues we experienced last Saturday. We are playing with stricter sportsmanship rules this season, which led to eight ejected student-athletes. Coaches, please talk to your team this week and remind them that sportsmanship issues are being emphasized. The officials would much rather you take care of it as a coach than have to penalize a team.
A coach reported to me that, in the first half, he was able to wander down to the 10-yard line, and then in the second half, the officials correctly kept him outside the 20-yard line. Crews need to be consistent in this enforcement, and warnings should be used, when appropriate. On the same note, a lot of our fields are marked with the team area between the 25-yard lines. This was the rule prior to the pandemic, but the team area has now been expanded to the 20-yard lines. (Rule 1-2-4-a)
From the observer's reports, we also need to be consistent with our long snappers. They cannot pick the ball up to adjust it. The ball needs to be at or near the ground. (Rule 7-1-3-a-2) Note, if they do pick it up, and there is no reaction from the defense, a warning is appropriate. If you warn the snapper, make sure you relay that warning to the head coach.
We had a wide receiver step out of bounds after contact with a defensive back while running up the sideline. The receiver came back in bounds and then caught the pass. Can the receiver re-establish himself back in bounds to catch the ball? Yes, provided he went out of bounds due to contact by an opponent. (Rule 7-3-4 Exception) What constitutes re-establishment? The player must touch the ground inbounds without simultaneously being out of bounds. (Rule 4-2-1-b)
When a free kick is touched (whether caught or recovered) by a player with one foot out of bounds, it is a free kick out of bounds. (Rule 6-2-1) The receiving team has options. (Rule 6-2-1 Penalty) Last week, we had a player, who was completely out of bounds, recover a free kick and down the ball at the 1-yard line. The ball was erroneously spotted at the 1-yard line. Someone HAD to know this rule. It is hard for me to defend this miss to our coaches.
We have had a lot of discussion on the forward-backward pass we showed on the training video last week. At this level (with no instant replay), when in doubt, make it a forward pass. When in question a pass thrown in or behind the neutral zone is forward rather than a backward pass. (Rule 2-19-2-a). Crews, please discuss the mechanics on how to handle these plays. They are tough calls. Coaches, if you are using this type of play, make the first pass clearly backward to avoid this issue.
After a safety, you can free kick the ball either by punt, dropkick, or place kick. Remember, if a kicking tee is present on the field for these types of kicks, the ball must be touching the tee, although the ball can be on the ground. (Rule 2-16-4-b)
The coaches association has a contract for a football called “big game football.” As stated, the contract is with the coaches association, not the NCAA or CCCAA. Officials are not to get involved in what ball the school wants to use, provided it is an approved NCAA ball. (Rule 1-3) You can put in the game report that they refused to use a big game football, but this is for information only. Our standard is not to get involved in these types of situations.
On forward passes, any intentional forward movement of the passer’s hand (not arm) with the ball firmly in their control starts the forward pass, UNLESS the player CLEARLY starts to bring the ball back with firm control to the passer’s body. (Rule 2-19-2-b) That said, if the passer’s hand starts forward, and then he loses control, it is a forward pass. To be a fumble after the hand starts forward with control, it has to be very clear that the player is trying to tuck the ball. Last week we had a passer, who was not under duress, try to throw a pass that slipped out of his hand after the hand had started moving forward. The officials correctly ruled it incomplete. When in question, the ball is passed and not fumbled. (Rule 2-19-2-c)
For years, I have used the term “passer under duress” when it comes to throwing the ball away. It was pointed out to me that the word “duress” is not in the rulebook. This refers to a passer throwing the ball away to conserve time or loss of yardage. However, the Officiating Standards does include the following: “A Team A player who originally controls the snap can throw the ball anywhere if they are not under duress, except spiking the ball straight down.” (Part II: Section 7-2) The penalty for intentional grounding is loss of down at the spot of the foul.
When the ball carrier is trying to get the ball out of the end zone to avoid a safety, the whole ball must be out of the end zone. (A.R. 8-5-1-I) Going in for a touchdown, any part of the ball breaking the plane is a touchdown.
A lot of colleges are running a shuttle pass. This is a forward pass, not a lateral or fumble. This play happens fast, and it takes complete focus to get it correct. Do not be surprised when this happens. It is a smart play by the offense, as the dropped pass is simply incomplete and not a fumble. Referees have to concentrate to see this and rule properly.
When I started community college, we only had five officials on each game. When we added two officials, we required the two deep officials, field judge and side judge, to close in after every play. This allowed the deep officials to help clean up dead-ball action and add to the overall administration of the game. We have gotten away from this a little. In reviewing video, we have too many deep officials watching the end of plays and not closing in. Please work on this in your games this week. Make your presence known.
“You are either green and growing, or ripe and rotting.” Frosty Westering
Rich Kollen
Director of Football Operations