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Football Officiating => Texas Topics => Topic started by: dammitbobby on September 17, 2021, 10:53:54 AM
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Had two fantastic fresh/soph games last night - both were competitive, lots of athletes, and close scores on both. Both easily have surpassed all the Friday night games I've had so far this year, in that regard. Running a 3 man crew on them, we were flat wore out afterwards, it was like calling 2 Friday night games in a row. And fun stuff too - on a field goal, ball was blocked behind NZ, pick up by R, and they were hauling the mail down the field when a K player caught up to him, literally took it right from his hands, and we started back the other way, LOL.
Did have a question come up though. I was LJ, so I'm handing the ball to the kicker. I ALWAYS count 11 on the field, out loud, before I hand him the ball. I don't recall if they 'broke' a huddle or not, but I am positive I counted 11 on the field. After I hand him the ball, they're already spread out when I start hustling off to the side, and lo and behold, there is now a player standing on the outer yardline marker, 1 yard onto the field. He snuck on as I was handing the kicker the ball. As he was the one supposed to be on the field, they ran another player off, and he moved inside the numbers. Since this was all before the RFP signal, no issues that I can see, but R head coach wanted a foul for breaking 12 in huddle - does that apply on free kicks? Rule 2 says a huddle is two or more gathered, but I know that I counted 11 before I handed him the ball. I don't see in the rules where it doesn't apply, but in any case, I wouldn't have had a foul because there wasn't 12 in the huddle. Just want to make sure I had this right.
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Since this is before the ball is ready for play, there is no issue, whatsoever. That's why we need to be diligent on free kicks to make certain both teams have 11 players - no more, no less - before the R declares the ball ready for play. Don't tell them they have too many or too few, just tell them to count their players. Eventually, they'll get it right, and you move on without any issue.
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Ditto to what Elvis said..... Just a suggestion not related to counting. For Texas and NCAA, use Team A and Team B instead of K and R. When I read R, I was thinking the Referee grabbed the ball and took off running.
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Ditto to what Elvis said..... Just a suggestion not related to counting. For Texas and NCAA, use Team A and Team B instead of K and R. When I read R, I was thinking the Referee grabbed the ball and took off running.
Just might do that...in my last game. :D