U in the Backfield

[ilyazhito]

What are you trying to say?

At the small college level, the safety factor and substitution issues are apparently enough of a reason to have the U in the backfield. However, I have seen the occasional club football game with the U in the traditional position.

I'm a BJ in college, so I have no dog in this fight. All I am saying that it is not.necessarily true that the U in the backfield will miss dead ball activity, as opposed to when the U is behind the defense.

[Rich]

No, but it does require a level of mobility for Us and Rs to do it right.  I'm not sure if this is a smart move for 5-person crews.  But I wouldn't be sure unless and until we try it.

I'm an R, so I'm not going anywhere myself.

[NVFOA_Ump]

All I am saying that it is not necessarily true that the U in the backfield will miss dead ball activity, as opposed to when the U is behind the defense.

Except that the NCAA cited that issue, along with the significant drop in holding calls as the major reasons that they moved the U back with the defense.

[AlUpstateNY]

Except that the NCAA cited that issue, along with the significant drop in holding calls as the major reasons that they moved the U back with the defense.

I think you may be missing, or ignoring, the inherent, consistent benefit the 'presence" of an official in the area behind the defensive line, has on the general behavior of the line play, at EVERY level.

[ilyazhito]

Except that the NCAA cited that issue, along with the significant drop in holding calls as the major reasons that they moved the U back with the defense.

When did this happen? In crews of 8, there is both a center judge in the backfield and the umpire in the traditional position. Right now, the CCA manual also has mechanics for both a traditional crew of 7 and the experimental crew of 7 with the U in the backfield. If the 2025 edition only includes the traditional crew of 7, I would be inclined to agree with you.

[dammitbobby]

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conversation-82-umpire-in-the-backfield-mechanics/id1331551155?i=1000484562924

I've probably listened to it already but it's been a few years.