Author Topic: Worst Case Scenario  (Read 6353 times)

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Offline ncwingman

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Worst Case Scenario
« on: August 02, 2018, 08:36:44 PM »
Sweet and to the point, what's your most dreaded play you have to cover from a mechanics standpoint?

As a wing guy in 5 man mechanics, the worst for me is the 3rd and forever, with trips to my side. I'm keying on the innermost receiver plus the backfield guy. At the snap, I release for the pass almost immediately, and am watching for PI and holding and watching... and watching... and it's been way too long, where's the pass? Oh crap, the QB decided to tuck it and run and I'm 10 yards downfield watching receivers. Now I've got to run back upfield to get the runner and I'm horribly out of position.

What is your nightmare?

Offline yarnnelg

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Re: Worst Case Scenario
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2018, 07:05:25 PM »
I decided long ago, that I will not run into the traffic. I stand, wait and officiate as it comes to me. You see better, can dodge the upfield blocking and the delayed blocking behind the run. I got run over twice trying to run against the flow. Self preservation says you'll live longer waiting for that flipped field to come to you. It feels weird, but you see things much better.

Offline Ralph Damren

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Re: Worst Case Scenario
« Reply #2 on: August 06, 2018, 10:09:27 AM »
Getting trapped by a scrambling QB. When I first moved from U to R, I played as close as I could to the LOS and this resulted in the scrambling QB getting behind me with several defenders in hot pursuit. After a flashback to my umpire days of being run over, I read an article in Referee Mag. that helped. It stressed to always keep an empty five-yard belt between yourself and the deepest A player. As the play develops in the backfield, be ready to back petal to keep the play in front of you. It worked and I lived to tell about it. I use the five yard line markers as my guide. 

Offline ElvisLives

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Re: Worst Case Scenario
« Reply #3 on: August 15, 2018, 01:45:24 PM »
Sweet and to the point, what's your most dreaded play you have to cover from a mechanics standpoint?

As a wing guy in 5 man mechanics, the worst for me is the 3rd and forever, with trips to my side. I'm keying on the innermost receiver plus the backfield guy. At the snap, I release for the pass almost immediately, and am watching for PI and holding and watching... and watching... and it's been way too long, where's the pass? Oh crap, the QB decided to tuck it and run and I'm 10 yards downfield watching receivers. Now I've got to run back upfield to get the runner and I'm horribly out of position.

What is your nightmare?

Not at all saying anybody is wrong, but, if 3rd/forever is greater than the 10 yards you drifted downfield, what is the angst?  Why run back upfield?  If you have done a good job of keeping your minimum 6' restricted zone clear, and the 12' area to limit line outside the team area, you should have enough room to avoid action on the field, and immediately OB.  In the event that action goes farther OB, you should have time to see it developing and get wider, and/or move farther down the OB area, or even onto the field of play, if necessary, to avoid conflict with the players.  If he isn't close to the LTG, the precise spot where he goes OB isn't critical, and you can identify that spot in your mind from many yards away - downfield from the spot - and move to it when the action clears.  And, your cross-field partner can get the spot, if you are forced away, and it isn't a close LTG play.  Just move to the approximate spot, look across, and get the final spot from him/her.

Now, 3rd and 8 (or similar) is a bit of a different story.  You may drift to the LTG and want to hold there, in the event of a close LTG play.  (Be cautious about moving farther downfield than the LTG.)  You just have to get wide.  Just because the restricted area (for coaches) is 6' wide, doesn't mean YOU are restricted to 6'.  You can back out as far as you need.  Perhaps get prepared for such a play by asking players/coaches to move away from the LTG extended, so you can get there, if needed.  Tell them you need to be in good position to rule on the LTG.  Outside the team area, you have at least 12' that should be void of anything - no photographers, no ADs, no VIPs, no advertising, nothing (not even ESPN - I had, and won, that argument once).  That should be more than enough room to back out as much as you need.

If you've gone downfield, there is no real reason to move quickly back upfield.  Heck, that's a great position to see a hold at the point of attack, etc.  Just keep your sideline area clean, and you should have plenty of room to do what is needed.  Certainly, if you have a clear path, and only a few yards to go to get where you need, fine, move back upfield.  But there is nothing wrong with officiating from upfield, with the play coming toward you.  The S & F do it all the time.

Even in a crew of 7 (or 8), the H is supposed to move downfield on apparent pass plays, so this is not unique to crews of 5.  (The line judge holds on the NZ, even in a crew of 5, at least here in Texas).

Robert

Offline SCHSref

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Re: Worst Case Scenario
« Reply #4 on: October 03, 2018, 12:46:40 PM »
Onside kick...if anything can go wrong... hEaDbAnG
If you didn't see it, you can't call it

Offline bama_stripes

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Re: Worst Case Scenario
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2018, 07:02:55 AM »
Having to explain to an upset coach what happened when it was out of my area and I got two different versions from my crew mates.

Offline ncwingman

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Re: Worst Case Scenario
« Reply #6 on: October 05, 2018, 12:02:16 PM »
I just had a new one last night -- I'm normally a sideline guy (as per the name), but I got pressed into service as back judge for a JV game.

Ball snapped, I'm reading receiver key, pretty quickly ID run ... but not fast enough, as the running back broke through the middle of the line and is heading straight towards me -- and he target fixates on me.

As I'm backing up, I move the to left to get out of his way... and he follows... so I move to the right, and he follows again. He almost runs into me because he's just staring at me (defenders are all chasing him, so he's not trying to use me as a pick).

I almost knocked him down at the 3 because he kept chasing me, but fortunately realized he needed to go around me to score.

Lesson learned on how to get out of the way faster, or line up somewhere else...

Offline JasonTX

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Re: Worst Case Scenario
« Reply #7 on: October 05, 2018, 01:34:16 PM »
I just had a new one last night -- I'm normally a sideline guy (as per the name), but I got pressed into service as back judge for a JV game.

Ball snapped, I'm reading receiver key, pretty quickly ID run ... but not fast enough, as the running back broke through the middle of the line and is heading straight towards me -- and he target fixates on me.

As I'm backing up, I move the to left to get out of his way... and he follows... so I move to the right, and he follows again. He almost runs into me because he's just staring at me (defenders are all chasing him, so he's not trying to use me as a pick).

I almost knocked him down at the 3 because he kept chasing me, but fortunately realized he needed to go around me to score.

Lesson learned on how to get out of the way faster, or line up somewhere else...

At that point you should have just dropped to the ground and curled up.   ;D

Offline Etref

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Re: Worst Case Scenario
« Reply #8 on: October 06, 2018, 06:10:21 PM »
Another worst case,
You are working R. After a score, defense intercepts pass on extra point at the goal line and nothing but green grass and yard markers between him and his goal line 100 yards away!

You have to get on your horse.  And not that one, the FAST one to help escort him down the field.
" I don't make the rules coach!"

Offline PABJNR

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Re: Worst Case Scenario
« Reply #9 on: October 07, 2018, 03:13:13 PM »
Unless I’m working in Texas I just calmly blow my whistle and signal no good.


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Offline AlUpstateNY

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Re: Worst Case Scenario
« Reply #10 on: October 07, 2018, 04:25:01 PM »
As I'm backing up, I move the to left to get out of his way... and he follows... so I move to the right, and he follows again. He almost runs into me cause he's just staring at me (defenders are all chasing him, so he's not trying to use me as a pick).I almost knocked him down at the 3 because he kept chasing me, but fortunately realized he needed to go around me to score.

Lesson learned on how to get out of the way faster, or line up somewhere else.../quote]


Likely he was trying to avoid you as much, or more than you were trying to get out of his way.  Help him out, STOP, and give him a stationary target to avoid.  (His running forward is likely faster than you running in reverse).

Offline Ralph Damren

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Re: Worst Case Scenario
« Reply #11 on: November 19, 2018, 10:39:08 AM »
Another worst case,
You are working R. After a score, defense intercepts pass on extra point at the goal line and nothing but green grass and yard markers between him and his goal line 100 yards away!

You have to get on your horse.  And not that one, the FAST one to help escort him down the field.
The PAT return came very close to passing in NFHS several years ago. A video was shown of a team ,trailing 27-0 in a championship game, blocking a kick try and returning it for 2. The point of the video was to illustrate the excitement and celebration of the trailing team that finally scored. The point that I noticed was the poor ole' white hat trying to keep up and call the score. I then envisioned the 100 yard journey he would then have to make to prepare for the ensuing kickoff.I voted NO!!