Flag..near new series..check first...

[Ralph Damren]

Ref at a regional championship yesterday..had two challenging penalty enforcements...

SCENE: 4th and about 6 from B's 28...

(1) Runner goes for ABOUT 6;
(2) teammate was holding @ B's 30;
(3) brought in stakes, A was short by 2-3";
(4) then declined penalty and awarded ball to B;

SCENE: 1st and 10, later in game....

(1) Runner went for ABOUT 15;
(2) runner grabbed - but didn't twist - B's facemask in stiff arm attempt  as play ended;
(3) penalty would bring ball back to ABOUT line-to-gain;
(4) I pondered bringing out stakes, securing lead pole, bring back pole around, check location of tape at 5 yd. link on chain ;
(5) LJ -a former coach - brought me to my  senses : "It's gonna' be 1st down either way..1st & 10 or 1st and inches. Any B coach would want 1st & 10 "

It doesn't hurt to have a former coach on your crew...  

[NVFOA_Ump]

We had our own "thinking required" penalty enforcement last night.  Team K kicker has just free kicked OB for the 3rd consecutive time, this time from his own 30 yd line.  Got no whistles and Team R player in the front line lights up a K player after kick is OB.  BJ who had the DB-UNR flag is by R's bench and asks R coach if he wants to take the ball 25 yds from the kickoff spot, the R-45 yd line, but neglects to tell him that we'll then be enforcing a 15 yd DB ball PF from there.

Coach then asks a question to the BJ about the "2nd flag" as the U comes over and "reminds" us all that best option may be rekick, initially from the 25, but with the 15 yd PF tacked on, so we're actually kicking from the 40 which ends up being R coaches choice.  R catches the kick, makes a good return and we end up at the K-42.  R goes on to score TD to make it 41-40, the final score of the game.

So, even though the 2nd flag gave no specific enforcement options to team R's coach, the information was still important to making the enforcement decision on the free kick OB flag.

[bossman72]

SCENE: 1st and 10, later in game....

(1) Runner went for ABOUT 15;
(2) runner grabbed - but didn't twist - B's facemask in stiff arm attempt  as play ended;
(3) penalty would bring ball back to ABOUT line-to-gain;
(4) I pondered bringing out stakes, securing lead pole, bring back pole around, check location of tape at 5 yd. link on chain ;
(5) LJ -a former coach - brought me to my  senses : "It's gonna' be 1st down either way..1st & 10 or 1st and inches. Any B coach would want 1st & 10 "

It doesn't hurt to have a former coach on your crew...  

I personally would not measure this from a game management perspective.  It's just one more measurement that we don't need to do and just adds time to the game.  Our flag throws aren't as precise as our spots.  Spot of the foul is very fuzzy.  If we're on a  turf field with ticks, we can clearly put the flag on a tick for a first down or it will be a yard short.  If we're on a field without ticks, nobody will know the difference what we do.

[Ralph Damren]

I agree that measurements are time consuming ,and this one involving the mid-tape would have been confusing. The flag was at the end of the run, as the facemask was grabbed as he was going down, and it didn't land on a tick. I'm probably old-school, but I'm not in favor of always spotting on a tick. In pre-game , I stress to the guys that they are welcome to spot COPs on interceptions ,kicks and fumbles on ticks BUT scrimmage downs end where they end.

The measurement in the first play had to be made, as it was to determine turnover or penalty acceptance. As my wing prompted, a measurement wasn't needed in the second as 1st & 10 would be acceptable. My attitude on "spot-on-ticks" probably causes more measurements, but recalling my games thru this year, I don't recall many.

[bossman72]

In pre-game , I stress to the guys that they are welcome to spot COPs on interceptions ,kicks and fumbles on ticks BUT scrimmage downs end where they end.

I also spot it where it is, unless we clearly gain a first down.  Then, it's going on a tick.  Makes life easier.  I'm not a fan of putting it on a tick EVERY play.  1st and 10 at the 20 and you gain 2.5 yards, it's going at the 22.5 yard line.  1st and 10 at the 20 and you gain 12.5 yards, it's going on the 32 or 33.

[HLinNC]

I also spot it where it is, unless we clearly gain a first down.  Then, it's going on a tick.