What's the best way to begin NCAA rules study?

[Harry]

I have been officiating under NFHS rules for the last few years.  I want to begin learning NCAA Football rules.  I don't expect to need them much in 2011 other than spring scrimmages, but maybe some time down the road.  How do you recommend I begin my rules study?  Do you have any tips?   Thanks!

 

[xkath]

I suggest you read up on the rules differences.

I've attached a 2009 document from our college group.

 

[attachment deleted by admin]

[MJT]

No better way then buying the Redding Study Guide to NCAA Football. I would 1st go thru/study/highlight the chapter on penalty enforcement, then major fouls, then depending on your position, go from there. If you are going to be a deep official, next go thru the kicking game, but if a short wing, maybe the running game would be next. The Redding book is great as it goes into the philosophy of the rules and gives many examples like those in the NFHS Case Book.

I also would recommend the Football Rules Differences Book, which compares NFHS to NCAA rules. It is a great book to see the differences that exist between them, with play scenarios to support the differences.

Good luck, and enjoy!!!

[FLBJ]

All of these are good ideas. The study guide (no longer actually put out by RR but still bearing his name, apparently) is excellent. Paul Whiteside had for many years edited a book highlighting rules differences (I'm sure you can find it on Honig's website).

As for the actual rules book, you can download it for free from the NCAA. I would recommend you start, as my mentor always said, with Rule 2. Definitions are the basis of EVERYTHING (BTW, I was quite pleased when RR said essentially the same thing at a clinic I attended this year).

Good luck. Don't hesitate to snag a few of Rom Gilbert's quizzes. His explanations are helpful. Ask local collegiate officials if you can pester them with questions once you've started. Most will be quite willing to help.

[Grant - AR]

These are good suggestions...and, as you've already done, you can always post your questions out here.  I'm sure there are others who would be helped by the answers to any questions you might have.

[busman]

Move to Texas.  Then you can forget all about NFHS.

[Kalle]

One good learning method I've used, is to participate in the rules discussions here (and at MacGriffs). You usually get a well written and educational response when you post something stupid

[Diablo]

Like others, I suggest digesting the Redding Study Guide initially.  Then move into the Rules & Interpretations, but keep the Redding guide open.

For additional learning tools, go to Rom Gilbert's web site ( http://romgilbert.us/ ). 
1.  The missives are good supplements for learning how to deal with specific situations.
2.  As noted above, Gilbert's quizzes are good exercises to test your knowledge.  Don't tackle those until you have gone thru the Redding book.
3.  Gilbert's videos provide excellent illustrations for actual rules applications.  The clips and written material are the next best tool to being on the field and having an expert talking in your ear.

Lastly, Refstripes is like a river of NCAA officiating information - constantly flowing questions & answers, suggestions, issues, etc.  Granted the 'water" level gets low in the offseason.  But there is usually someone around who does not have a life outside of football officiating.

[Atlanta Blue]

But there is usually someone around who does not have a life outside of football officiating.

What does that say about those of us who are here and aren't even officials? 

[cougar729]

Find some guys in your area that work college ball and see if you can join their study group, or if they don't have a group, make one.  Set up off season meetings to meet and discuss rules/video/mechanics, etc. 

[NCAA-SJ]

Also, I'd make sure, if you haven't already, that you have a sponsor/reference to help get you into whatever entry level NCAA ball is in your area.  Unlike HS, this is not something you sign up for to do...there's a bit of a line usually.  Just because you study the rules (or have friend somewhere), does not automatically qualify you....hopefully, you have some talent that others recognize.

Not to be downer, but in my area, I have many people come up and ask me to 'get them into college football'...it just doesn't work that way.   Just get familiar with the lay of the land...that's all.

[Harry]

These are all great suggestions.  I see a lot of people say that I should look at the Reddings Guide first.  I am very familiar with the Reddings Guide from NFHS rules.  Am I missing something if I study that before the rulebook?

Also, is studying the rule differences enough to understand the NCAA rules?  I am not looking for a shortcut.  I want to know if there is a similarity in the rules.

I have to find a study group in my area.  I know some college officials.  Maybe I can join them.

NCAA-SJ, I am familiar with the issues you brought up.  That's also something that I am considering.  I've expanded my universe of officials by attending clinics, spring scrimmages, and other ways.  Hopefully I will have done the necessary work before the time comes.  I know of an official who applied last year and got a 5 out of 10 on the rules test.  I believe that probably affected the selection process.  I want to ensure that rules is not an issue for me.  It's something I "can control."

Thanks everyone as always!!!

[Andrew McCarthy]

The transition between rules takes time.  The more you learn about the differences, the more you realize how little you actually know.  Get with a study group in your area.  That's where I learned the most and continue to learn the most- especially in the offseason.

When I started I got the Reddings Guide and read that along with referencing the Rule Book.  When the guide talked about something I would learn where that was in the rules.  It took me a couple years to really know where to go in the rule book- it's a lot more complicated than the NF book as far as how things are organized.

I also decided to put aside the NF rules and study the NCAA rules exclusively.  Before I work an NF game I go over the brief "rules differences" document you can find online to refresh my brain.  Most of it will just come back to you if you've been working a number of years.  The only time I study the NF rules is when there are rule changes.  A wise colleague always says he'd rather make a college mistake on a high school field than a high school mistake on a college field.

I tried the Rule Differences book at first and found I got almost nothing out of it.  My brain must just not work that way or something.

[cougar729]

Good points Andrew, I too found the rule difference difficult to master or remember, I'd mix up which rule was which. 
Pretty sure I've never sat down and just read the NCAA rule book starting at the begining, there is just too much of it, and the way I work I probably wouldnt remember much of it anyway.  One of the best ways I study is to get the test and quiz questions, work them open book, look up rule references on every aspect of the play and then try to get an answer.  If I'm wrong, which occurs frequently, I try to figure out where I went wrong. 

[TxGrayhat]

Reddings book is a great study book.. You get the readers digest version as well as the long explination and it is written in easy to read and understand language. and as Grant said use this site. Post a question and/or look back over previous topics and threads..

[Etref]

As we tell all new officials READ AND UNDERSTAND RULE 2. Know it, learn it, live it. Once you master rule 2 then begin reading and studying the rest of the book.