New Umpire

[AC-Ump]

I switched positions this year and have my first varsity game as umpire on Saturday. I know the basics but would appreciate any "tricks of the trade" from some veterans. Thanks.

[Curious]

1. Know and read your keys
2. Beware of crossing tight ends (they love to use you as a pick)
3. Step up on passes (to avoid the traffic and to help with LOS issues like screen passes and short kicks
4. Listen to make sure your Referee gets all the information (who, what, when, where) on fouls and relays   the correct enforcement* to you
5. Make sure any holding calls you have are at the point of attack and/or directly impact the play.  Calling holding on a 2-yard loss is obviously unnecessary....

*Hopefully, you already understand the all-but-one penalty enforcement principle.  If not, get busy!

Good luck!

[srhendon]

 Talk to the players at the pile if they know you are there they a less likely to take cheap shots.
use a extra down indicator on the other hand to help you remember the balls position on incomplete passes.

[Roscoe]

use a extra down indicator on the other hand to help you remember the balls position on incomplete passes.

I strongly recommend this. Sometimes you just plain forget with everything going on

[Atlanta Blue]

No one has told him about the Snicker's bar?   

[Roscoe]

No one has told him about the Snicker's bar?   

If he's moving to umpire something tells me he already knows

[maven]

If he's moving to umpire something tells me he already knows

Might be the reason for the move!