Get Ready for Fall
From: Rich Kollen
Subject: SCCFOA
Date: Friday, October 10, 2025
It began in 1975, and over 50 years later, Coach John Cicuto is still serving students at Glendale College. From assistant coach to head coach, 10 bowl & conference championships, 35 All-Americans, and decades as Athletic Director, his impact goes far beyond the field. On October 9, 2025, they will proudly dedicate John Cicuto Stadium at Sartoris Field. Congratulations, John!
Last Friday night, a high school video went viral showing 11 players from one team faking injuries to slow the game down. Below is the protocol if a situation like this were to occur. This is strictly an ethical issue on the part of the high school coach, and we will not tolerate this type of conduct within the SCFA. If a player appears “injured” after the officials have spotted the ball for the next play, that player’s team will be charged a timeout. If that team has no timeouts left, they will get a 5-yard delay-of-game penalty. The player must remain out of the game for at least one down, even if the team uses a timeout. The player may not return to the game until receiving approval of professional medical personnel designated by the institution. If anything like what happened in that high school game happens at one of our games (where it is clear this is a tactic), please make sure to write it up and send it to me after the game so the Commissioner can review.
Defensive pass interference (DPI) is one of the most difficult and subjective calls in football, and understanding the keys to identifying it correctly helps ensure consistency and fairness. Below is a breakdown that applies to college football (NCAA rules).
• NCAA standard: When in question, it is not pass interference.
• The official must see a clear restriction that obviously impedes an eligible receiver and could prevent the opponent the opportunity of receiving a catchable forward pass. (Rule 7-3-8-c)
• Minor bumping or hand fighting while both players are looking for or playing the ball is incidental and should not be called. Eligible players of either team have equal rights to the ball. (Rule 7-3-8-c-2)
• Face guarding without contact is not a foul. There MUST be contact for a foul.
• Before calling DPI, make sure you can explain how it fits into a category:
- Playing through the back
- Cutoff
- Hook and turn
- Arm bar
- Early contact, not playing the ball
- Grab and restrict
After one game this past week, the losing coach called me to express his concern that the Referee and another official spent a much longer time with the opposing coach before the game, and their conversation ended with a “body bump.” Remember, someone is always watching.
Always understand what a flag does to the game. Consider this in your thought process when throwing a flag. Last week, late in a game, the defense made a big third-down stop. The defense continued to push the runner 10-12 yards behind the line of scrimmage. At the end of the play, a flag was thrown. Obviously, it gave the team an automatic first down and decided the game. Without saying it was not a foul, could the officials have prevented it by whistles and yelling at players to stop? Let’s be aware of game situations, and make the calls that MUST be made, not the ones that CAN be made. Let the teams decide the outcome, within the rules.
ADs, please remind your public address announcers that they are not to provide play-by-play commentary during games. Announcements should be limited to:
• Who carried the ball
• Who threw or caught the pass
• Down and distance
• Name of the tackler
• Description of the foul (but not who committed it)
• And of course, “[School Nickname] first down!”
Avoid radio-style calls such as: “Quarterback looks right, throws left — sensational catch inbounds!” We want our announcers to be informative, accurate, and professional, but this should not sound like a live radio broadcast over the loudspeakers. Thank you for helping maintain a consistent game-day atmosphere across our conference.
With another inadvertent whistle (IW) occurring, let’s review how to handle it. The team in control of the ball at the time of the IW has a few options (Rule 4-1-2-b):
1. If the ball is in player possession, the team may elect to put the ball in play where declared dead or repeat the down.
2. When the ball is loose from a fumble, backward pass, or illegal pass, the team may elect to put the ball in play where possession was lost or repeat the down.
3. During a legal forward pass or a free or scrimmage kick, the ball is returned to the previous spot and the down replayed.
4. If after Team B gains possession on a try or during an extra period, the try is over or the extra-period possession series is ended.
Remember also, if a foul or violation occurs during any of the foregoing, the penalty shall be administered as in any other play situation. All that said, please use common sense. For example, if a whistle is blown just before a pass is caught, the play should be dead at the point of the catch, not replay the down.
“Confidence is not ‘they will like me.’ Confidence is ‘I’ll be fine if they don’t.” – Dr. Michaela Dunbar
Rich Kollen
Director of Football Operations
Subject: SCCFOA
Date: Friday, October 10, 2025
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
2025 WEEKLY BULLETIN #7It began in 1975, and over 50 years later, Coach John Cicuto is still serving students at Glendale College. From assistant coach to head coach, 10 bowl & conference championships, 35 All-Americans, and decades as Athletic Director, his impact goes far beyond the field. On October 9, 2025, they will proudly dedicate John Cicuto Stadium at Sartoris Field. Congratulations, John!
Last Friday night, a high school video went viral showing 11 players from one team faking injuries to slow the game down. Below is the protocol if a situation like this were to occur. This is strictly an ethical issue on the part of the high school coach, and we will not tolerate this type of conduct within the SCFA. If a player appears “injured” after the officials have spotted the ball for the next play, that player’s team will be charged a timeout. If that team has no timeouts left, they will get a 5-yard delay-of-game penalty. The player must remain out of the game for at least one down, even if the team uses a timeout. The player may not return to the game until receiving approval of professional medical personnel designated by the institution. If anything like what happened in that high school game happens at one of our games (where it is clear this is a tactic), please make sure to write it up and send it to me after the game so the Commissioner can review.
Defensive pass interference (DPI) is one of the most difficult and subjective calls in football, and understanding the keys to identifying it correctly helps ensure consistency and fairness. Below is a breakdown that applies to college football (NCAA rules).
• NCAA standard: When in question, it is not pass interference.
• The official must see a clear restriction that obviously impedes an eligible receiver and could prevent the opponent the opportunity of receiving a catchable forward pass. (Rule 7-3-8-c)
• Minor bumping or hand fighting while both players are looking for or playing the ball is incidental and should not be called. Eligible players of either team have equal rights to the ball. (Rule 7-3-8-c-2)
• Face guarding without contact is not a foul. There MUST be contact for a foul.
• Before calling DPI, make sure you can explain how it fits into a category:
- Playing through the back
- Cutoff
- Hook and turn
- Arm bar
- Early contact, not playing the ball
- Grab and restrict
After one game this past week, the losing coach called me to express his concern that the Referee and another official spent a much longer time with the opposing coach before the game, and their conversation ended with a “body bump.” Remember, someone is always watching.
Always understand what a flag does to the game. Consider this in your thought process when throwing a flag. Last week, late in a game, the defense made a big third-down stop. The defense continued to push the runner 10-12 yards behind the line of scrimmage. At the end of the play, a flag was thrown. Obviously, it gave the team an automatic first down and decided the game. Without saying it was not a foul, could the officials have prevented it by whistles and yelling at players to stop? Let’s be aware of game situations, and make the calls that MUST be made, not the ones that CAN be made. Let the teams decide the outcome, within the rules.
ADs, please remind your public address announcers that they are not to provide play-by-play commentary during games. Announcements should be limited to:
• Who carried the ball
• Who threw or caught the pass
• Down and distance
• Name of the tackler
• Description of the foul (but not who committed it)
• And of course, “[School Nickname] first down!”
Avoid radio-style calls such as: “Quarterback looks right, throws left — sensational catch inbounds!” We want our announcers to be informative, accurate, and professional, but this should not sound like a live radio broadcast over the loudspeakers. Thank you for helping maintain a consistent game-day atmosphere across our conference.
With another inadvertent whistle (IW) occurring, let’s review how to handle it. The team in control of the ball at the time of the IW has a few options (Rule 4-1-2-b):
1. If the ball is in player possession, the team may elect to put the ball in play where declared dead or repeat the down.
2. When the ball is loose from a fumble, backward pass, or illegal pass, the team may elect to put the ball in play where possession was lost or repeat the down.
3. During a legal forward pass or a free or scrimmage kick, the ball is returned to the previous spot and the down replayed.
4. If after Team B gains possession on a try or during an extra period, the try is over or the extra-period possession series is ended.
Remember also, if a foul or violation occurs during any of the foregoing, the penalty shall be administered as in any other play situation. All that said, please use common sense. For example, if a whistle is blown just before a pass is caught, the play should be dead at the point of the catch, not replay the down.
“Confidence is not ‘they will like me.’ Confidence is ‘I’ll be fine if they don’t.” – Dr. Michaela Dunbar
Rich Kollen
Director of Football Operations