Umpire position in NCAA football

[El Macman]

POSITION OF THE UMPIRE
   Beginning with the 2010 season the National Football League now positions the umpire in the offensive backfield, opposite the referee.  The CFO has been considering whether to make this change for NCAA football and has experimented with it in spring games and practices for two years.  While the stated position of the NFL for the change is the safety of the umpire, our experience in college football is that there are no more injuries to umpires than to officials at any position.  The issue for the CFO to consider is whether making such a change would noticeably improve football officiating.
   The coordinators of the Division I conferences have discussed his issue during its last several national meetings.  After much careful consideration the coordinators are convinced that the umpire’s current position is not a significant safety issue and that the quality of the officiating is likely to suffer by making this change.  Based on our experience the umpire’s role in detecting false starts and offensive holding is compromised when he moves into the offensive backfield.  In addition the subtle but important impact that the umpire has on “working the inside” with the interior linemen of both teams is a well-understood value of his being in the current position.
   Therefore, at the June national meeting the Division I coordinators voted unanimously to recommend that the umpire remain in his traditional position.   The national coordinator has endorsed this stance and presented the recommendation to the CFO Board of Managers at its meeting on June 22, 2011. 
   The CFO Board of Managers has unanimously approved the recommendation that the umpire for NCAA football games remain in his current position in the defensive secondary.

Rogers Redding
CFO National Coordinator of Football Officials

June 23, 2011

[110]

Right. On.

[VA-Ump]

AMEN !

[Atlanta Blue]

  Based on our experience the umpire’s role in detecting false starts and offensive holding is compromised when he moves into the offensive backfield. 

The NFL VEHEMENTLY denies this is true.  I brought up the holding issue to both Mike Periera and to an NFL crew, and was told the umpire can see offensive holding BETTER from the offensive backfield.  I found it hard to believe, but after two years of experimenting and one year of the positioning, they don't think there is any loss of the umpire to see holding calls.

I agree the traditional positioning is much more efficient for between play mechanics, and I don't think the umpire was as endangered in college ball as he was in the NFL.  But Dr Redding and the NFL would disagree strongly on the ability to see holding.

[NVFOA_Ump]

The NFL VEHEMENTLY denies this is true. 

Just the change in the viewing angle clearly says that it has to be true.  IMO the U is the only official on the field who can actually see the "hook and hold" when the A lineman in close quarters hooks the waist of the B defender.  The hand "reaching around" clearly visible from the backside where the U is traditionally located, is physically not visible from the 180 degree view from the A backfield.

[ABoselli]

This wasn't posted to the CFO site, was it?

[Diablo]

I agree the traditional positioning is much more efficient for between play mechanics, and I don't think the umpire was as endangered in college ball as he was in the NFL. 

I'm curious.  Why do you and the college coordinators think NFL umps are more endangered then their collegiate counterparts?

[El Macman]

This wasn't posted to the CFO site, was it?

No. Distributed by coordinators to their staffs.

[Etref]

I'm curious.  Why do you and the college coordinators think NFL umps are more endangered then their collegiate counterparts?

NFLPRA is one reason


The other is every year 4-5 NFL umpires wind up in the hospital. I do not think the same can be said for NCAA

[TXMike]

It is on the CFO site now.

Most shocking thing about this is that the coordinators UNANIMOUSLY voted against the NFL way.  With so much of the game and mechanics moving towards the NFL way for several years now, it is surprising to see this resistance.  I can only take that to mean the NFL zebras may not be that much in favor of what is being done there.

As for any argument between Dr Redding and the NFL, it is NOT Dr Redding, it is ALL the coordinators, many of whom are NFL guys. 

[Dommer1]

Excellent decision.

[Atlanta Blue]

I'm curious.  Why do you and the college coordinators think NFL umps are more endangered then their collegiate counterparts?

More NFL teams run a West Coast type of offense, with receivers scraping off the umpire.  It's the LBs that are trailing the receivers that are the biggest danger to the umpires.

This type of offense isn't as prevelant in the NCAA, and even less so in HS.

As for any argument between Dr Redding and the NFL, it is NOT Dr Redding, it is ALL the coordinators, many of whom are NFL guys. 

You are correct, it was Dr Redding's name on the memo, but it wasn't his opinion, or at least not his alone.

I am surprised it was a unanimous (or nearly so) opinion among the coordinators.  My conversations with the NFL officiating office say it is a change that is here to stay.

[110]

For those new to the board, in the last year, this is where I note that Canadian umpires don't have that problem, because we're back 10-12 yards from the LOS, and we're taught to keep mobile to avoid being a target on passing plays.