From the Mouths of Coaches - 2013 Version

[Rulesman]

Now that we are a few weeks into the season, the tales that keep us laughing (and wondering where they come up with these things) should be flowing freely. This is a true story from last Friday night... you can't make this stuff up!

Coach complained to the assignor the crew gave the opposition an extra down during their final possession. The assignor looked at the series of downs on film 3 times, including recreating the play-by-play to try to figure out what he was talking about.

He came to find out the 15 yard penalty on 3rd down for a offensive face mask foul (yes, it was there) didn't carry a loss of down, as the coach, and his 5 or 6 assistants thought. 

[mogul84]

2 weeks ago. 2nd quarter 1.4 seconds left on the clock. After enforcing penaltt on the defense. I remind the Offense coach that clock will start on the ready. He hurries his team to the line and has his Qb spike the ball. I hold up ball and call halftime. Coach goes ballistic, says he nor any other coach he knows has ever heard of this rule.
 

[TxSkyBolt]

What rule?

[mogul84]

The one that states you cannot reasonably expect another play if you spike the ball with under 3 seconds remaining in the period.

[TxSkyBolt]

Aha

[Etref]

Had a kickoff into to the end zone. Coach is going ape asking why the ball is at the 25 yard line. Told him that was where it was supposed to be and he ask " when did they change that rule".

[Welpe]

Had a kickoff into to the end zone. Coach is going ape asking why the ball is at the 25 yard line. Told him that was where it was supposed to be and he ask " when did they change that rule".

I've had that also. What made it really entertaining was we had a punt not long after that go into the EZ for a touch back. He couldn't figure out why they got the ball at the 20.

[NorCalMike]

I was watching on of my games that was televised on tape delay on Comcast Hometown. Coaches are the only one's that say stupid stuff. Playing under the NFHS code. We had a intentional grounding situation where the QB was rolling to the right and throws the ball in to the flat with know in the area. The WH didn't see where the ball went because he was watching the pass rushers as they came close to the QB. LJ runs in and tells WH that there was no eligible receiver in the area. WH throws the flag late.  Commentator says that it was intentional grounding because the ball didn't make it back to the LOS. 

Of course any one who watches the NFL knows commentators don't know the rules.

[Rulesman]

Of course any one who watches the NFL football knows commentators don't know the rules.

Fixed that for ya! The NFL doesn't own exclusive rights to ignorant common taters. 

[Wingmanbp]

My High School game Friday the coaches were all over me from the opening kickoff about how unfair we were in calling fouls. every time a flag dropped I would hear that is 1-0, that is 2-0, that 3-0. and so forth. I really wanted to tell them that if they would stop fouling they wouldn't be penalized as much but I didn't. The funny thing is that none of the flags were mine. All of them were from the BJ or LJ. It was getting to the point that I wanted to go get some earplugs.
After halftime the star linebacker came up to me and said, " Ya'll are doing a great job. Sorry our coaches are the way they are, But look at it this way. You only have them once. We get them 6 days a week!"
It really made me laugh.

[BIG DON]

that counting of flags would have stopped quick,  that is in my opinion saying the crew was cheating, I am in the opinion to let the Head coach's vent, until it gets personal anything followed by "you" gets my attention. 

[Etref]

In our game last Friday, we had a chop block. Coach asked what the foul was and was told it was a chop block. Coach said, "never, my kids do not chop block. They may high/low sometimes but never chop". Official told him that a chop block was a high/low block and the coach argued with him again.


 

[Wingmanbp]

In our game last Friday, we had a chop block. Coach asked what the foul was and was told it was a chop block. Coach said, "never, my kids do not chop block. They may high/low sometimes but never chop". Official told him that a chop block was a high/low block and the coach argued with him again.


 

Sometimes We feel like this when talking to coaches.

[Wettstein]

Coaches can be rough.  I saw one last Friday night complain several times over the spot of the ball.  He was upset that the officials kept putting the ball on the white lines instead of where the ball was dead. Sure he was right, but he's not going to win that battle.

[110]

Coaches can be rough.  I saw one last Friday night complain several times over the spot of the ball.  He was upset that the officials kept putting the ball on the white lines instead of where the ball was dead. Sure he was right, but he's not going to win that battle.

I don't get this... s'plain?

[Ted T]

I don't get this... s'plain?

Crews usually try to start a new series on a "tic" or, as the NFHS book refers to it, a "yard line extension".  This makes life easier when eyeing up a potential first down.  So, the crew will usually "adjust" the marking of the ball at the start of a new series to the nearest yard line extension.  This may result in an adjustment of as much as 18" from the actual dead ball spot.

Now, of course, you have to be playing on a well marked field for this to work.  Many, or I should say most, natural turf high school fields, at least in my area, are not marked well enough to make this a habit practiced every Friday night.  Conversely, it's probably rare to find a college field that is not so marked.

[110]

Crews usually try to start a new series on a "tic" or, as the NFHS book refers to it, a "yard line extension". 

Then the coach had every right to complain.

[maven]

Then the coach had every right to complain.

Disagree. This happens at every level on plays outside the red zone.

[Magician]

Then the coach had every right to complain.

This is a very common mechanic at all levels of football and helps greatly with efficient flow of the game. What difference does it make if you start the series at the 27.5 or 28? Statistically you are at the 28 anyway. You still have to get 10 yards for a first down. Spots are usually somewhat arbitrary anyway. If your wings use the yard lines for their spots when the LTG is reached it looks even better. You don't do this if the LTG was barely reached or if you are inside the 10. But most of the game this is a very good mechanic and commonly used.

[Rulesman]

Then the coach had every right to complain.

Wrong. Remind the coach this commonly-accepted practice works both ways.

[Wettstein]

We're not talking abut the difference between 27.5 and 28 yard line.  The only lines marked are the 5's (35, 40, 45, 50, 45, etc.)  Sloppy is sloppy.  If they're not going to make an effort to mark the ball correctly, then get off the field.

[NorCalMike]

We're not talking abut the difference between 27.5 and 28 yard line.  The only lines marked are the 5's (35, 40, 45, 50, 45, etc.)  Sloppy is sloppy.  If they're not going to make an effort to mark the ball correctly, then get off the field.

No one said that the move the ball to the nearest 5. The ball is moved to the nearest yard line. On today's well marked artificial turf fields with a marking for every yard this improves game flow by allowing the crew to know if the LTG has been reached.

If you don't work on well marked fields this should not be done.

[Wettstein]

No one said that the move the ball to the nearest 5. The ball is moved to the nearest yard line. On today's well marked artificial turf fields with a marking for every yard this improves game flow by allowing the crew to know if the LTG has been reached.

If you don't work on well marked fields this should not be done.

Actually, if you read the messages, Magician was talking about the difference between 27.5 vs. 28.  I agree that the ball should be moved to the nearest yard line and not the nearest 5.  The field I was referring to is NOT an artificial field, does NOT have yd markers, only 5 yd markers.  Are you trying to justify moving it to the closet 5 yd mark for the "flow of the game"?

[NorCalMike]

I thought that you thought we would move to the nearest 5. Looks like we have misunderstood each other.

[Legacy Zebra]

Visiting Team A is down by 32 in the first half when they fumble the ball away. During B's return, there was a block in the back so I flag it and we back up 10 yards from the spot of the foul. As we're getting set for the next play the visiting coach says "Why do you keep helping that kid?" I was a bit confused so I tell him that the foul was against the other team and that it backed them up, to which he responds, "I know, and every ten yards you penalize them is ten yards more on that kid's stat line."