Author Topic: Survey - 7 officials for playoffs  (Read 3268 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline ElvisLives

  • *
  • Posts: 4331
  • FAN REACTION: +187/-187
  • The rules are there if you need them.
Re: Survey - 7 officials for playoffs
« Reply #25 on: December 03, 2025, 10:45:57 AM »
Most of the guys who get the assignment for the deep wings have been BJs on 5 man crews so again are generally use to being deep.

Wow. That statement is quite troubling. Working a deep wing is nothing at all like being a Back Judge. Where do I start? Keys are obviously different, and the deep wings simply must know - and observe - their keys, and know when to come off their primary keys and observe something more important. Fading along a sideline is WAY different than how a B fades. Dead-ball duties are very specific and different, like closing into the field pf play when the ball is dead. HUSTLING into team areas to escort opponents out. Then making sure opponents are separated. Then getting a replacement ball (when needed) and hustling it into the U. Hustling back into pre-snap position. Keeping sideline areas clear. Counting defense EVERY DOWN, and signaling B. Getting to the goal line BEFORE a BC crosses. Taking progress between B-2 and G. Switching to GL mechanics. F getting under the upright on FG attempts - without fail. S moving to second U on FG attempts - without fail. Knowing what to look for on Kickoffs. And a lot more.
That is not to say that folks with quality experience at deep wing positions can’t move back and forth between B/H/L and deep wings. But, to simply move a B with no practice or significant experience at deep wing to a deep wing position, and expect complete and proper coverage and coordination is simply —— well, not realistic, I’ll just say that.
It ain’t that simple. 7 is better than 5, if folks are trained and experienced. But, it can be a disaster if folks don’t know what they are doing.

Offline ilyazhito

  • *
  • Posts: 465
  • FAN REACTION: +14/-24
  • Without officials... it is only recess.
Re: Survey - 7 officials for playoffs
« Reply #26 on: December 03, 2025, 03:53:24 PM »
I agree. That is why it helps to have college officials working the deep wings if available. It also is helpful to go over crew of 7 mechanics in scrimmages and/or have training sessions on crew of 7 as you get closer to the playoffs. A good pre-game can also help officials go over the basics of crew of 7 mechanics.

Offline zebrastripes

  • *
  • Posts: 265
  • FAN REACTION: +23/-90
  • Without officials... it is only recess.
Re: Survey - 7 officials for playoffs
« Reply #27 on: December 04, 2025, 05:48:09 AM »
Personally I’m not a big fan of using college officials on late-round HS playoff games just because they’re college officials with crew of 7/8 experience. If they are the highest performing officials for the assigning authority (which would be likely since they are college officials, after all) and they’ve worked a fair number of Friday nights (not two games the whole season and then taking off the rest of Friday nights to be ready for their NCAA game), then sure. But I don’t like “college experience” being a selection criteria to work HS postseason. The alternative of just sticking with 5-person mechanics would be more preferable to me.

Offline bama_stripes

  • *
  • Posts: 3153
  • FAN REACTION: +124/-29
Re: Survey - 7 officials for playoffs
« Reply #28 on: December 05, 2025, 08:14:36 AM »
Our association has a couple of “college officials” (D-3) who aren’t among our top-rated guys.  Apparently, D-3 (and to a lesser extent D-2) is struggling to find guys to work.  If you have some HS experience and are willing to travel long distances, you stand a good chance of being hired.

Offline zebrastripes

  • *
  • Posts: 265
  • FAN REACTION: +23/-90
  • Without officials... it is only recess.
Re: Survey - 7 officials for playoffs
« Reply #29 on: December 05, 2025, 08:42:41 AM »
Our association has a couple of “college officials” (D-3) who aren’t among our top-rated guys.  Apparently, D-3 (and to a lesser extent D-2) is struggling to find guys to work.  If you have some HS experience and are willing to travel long distances, you stand a good chance of being hired.
Honestly not surprising. The lower levels of college football have a similar per-game pay as basketball, yet with significantly less games to go around. When you factor in startup costs to get into NCAA football (position-specific shirt(s), summer clinics, spring camps), I can’t imagine anyone at the D2/D3 level is turning a profit. Football coordinators also seem to have no problem sending guys to the furthest school from them in their conference, whereas in basketball most lower-level coordinators are reasonable about driving distance if you live in a good geographic area.

What I don’t like to see is when college officials work less than half of high school Friday nights over the course of a season and then get picked for the HS playoffs.

Offline Cornbread Wing

  • *
  • Posts: 5
  • FAN REACTION: +0/-0
  • Without officials... it is only recess.
Re: Survey - 7 officials for playoffs
« Reply #30 on: December 08, 2025, 03:37:25 PM »
Kentucky-

1st Round- 5 man
2nd through the State Championship- 7 man