In chatting with some fellow TASO officials, it became clear that they were unsure if, for Texas High School Football, they are supposed to follow the TASO Officiating Philosophies; if they are supposed to follow the NCAA Officiating Standards; or if they are supposed follow both.
The big problem came about when the NCAA extracted their Standards from the CCA Manuals, and inserted them into the Rules Book. While this action was intended to expose coaches to the Standards directly (since very few also had CCA Manuals), it also placed two separate documents directly in the hands of TASO officials, both of which address many common topics; each address some unique topics; and each offer expanded guidelines on selected topics. This has led to the confusion I mentioned above.
Let me try to clear this up.
TASO’s official position is that the TASO Philosophies take precedence over the NCAA Standards. For any conflicts between the two, the TASO Philosophies govern for Texas High School Football. If the TASO Philosophies don’t explicitly cover a situation, then using the NCAA Standards would not draw criticism from TASO, and an official doing so would be supported by TASO.
So, the short answer is that TASO officials are to follow the TASO Officiating Philosophies, and where the Philosophies don’t offer any guidance on a topic, the NCAA Standards may be used. Where the two documents are in conflict, the TASO Officiating Philosophies are to govern. Where one document may offer expanded guidelines on a topic, those guidelines - where not in conflict with the other document, may be used.
It is very important to understand that the Philosophies and the Standards are guidelines - not hard and fast rules - which may be used to assist in making rulings on the field. These guidelines should be used as, and when, appropriate for the level of contest being played. The higher the talent and skill level of the players, the more tightly these guidelines should be used. In contests with lesser skilled players, the limits of these philosophies/standards should be adjusted (increased/decreased) to allow for smooth game play, while always maintaining player safety.
I hope this helps.
