Scrimmage rules

[M Buck]

Some number of years ago after what I think was a fight amongst players somewhere around Corpus Christi, there was some guidance from TASO regarding scrimmages, the number of excess players allowed on the field, the number of coaches on the field, their location on the field, etc. I can't find anything in any of my records that it ever existed. I don't ever remember there being 8 Coaches per team ON THE FIELD during play. Each Coach had their whistle which they frequently felt that they need to blow. Made me wonder why we were even there. if anyone can direct me to the guidance, I sure would appreciate it. One more week of this madness until we start playing football for real and start using real football rules. Thanks in advance.

[M Buck]

Based on the lack of a response, don't you think "we" should have something that delineates what we should expect from the teams as far as Coaches on the field and players on the field? shouldn't that guidance come from TASO or UIL or both? if I heard one more inadvertent whistle from a Coach I was ready to leave the field, not to mention having to fight through the maze of players and Coaches in the offensive backfield. Now is the time to get this corrected.

[Cowman52]

The scrimmages are the teams practice, the first one, penalties usually are not marked off, quick whistle on  QB in the grasp,
It's been this way for 37 years I know, so either go and work on the little things, keep a smile on your face, put in your time in the barrel, and don't come across as a power hungry official who wants to run things.   Your time will come soon enough.

[CenTexZebra]

When we arrive at a scrimmage, we talk to the coaches and ask them how they want things to be ran, i.e. fumbles, interceptions, penalties, free shots on the QB, and the like and we work with what they say they want to do. That is the way it has been done since I started calling a long time ago.

 It is their practice and ours as well. I agree that they usually don't give enough room for the Referee, but we just work around it and do the best we can with what we have. I for one would not want to go into that first Varsity game without having worked several scrimmages! I worked two this weekend and have 3 scheduled for next weekend.

[M Buck]

This wasn't my first rodeo. I've officiated for 34 years with about 1,188 games under my belt. I agree with not being a big part of the show but when every Coach has a whistle and uses it (even when the ball is still alive) and when there are about 16 coaches in the offensive backfield and 10-15 players that gets to be a bit much.  Again, TASO had some guidance some years ago about # of coaches, player, etc allowed. if it is a practice let the coaches run it and I'm not needed and I won't go waste my time. if it is a scrimmage then run it as such.

[TxSkyBolt]

Buck,

Your memory is correct. A few years ago, coaches weren't allowed on the field at the snap. We were instructed to depart the scrimmage if that happened. That only lasted one year as I recall.

[M Buck]

I think "we" are only asking for trouble if we don't get this organized...it's just a matter of time.

[TxBJ]

TASO can give us guidance such as "leave the field if that happens" (as they have told us to do if teams are not in the required safety equipment) but as noted before the scrimmage belongs to the teams. Anything in terms of rules or requirements would have to come from the UIL.

[JasonTX]

With the cooperation (95 or cooler all week) in the weather that we have been getting I don't mind the coaches being 5 yards from the ball.  Now if it were 115 like last year and I was miserable, I'd be pushing them back. 

[Joe Stack]

I don't care if they want to be on the field, but ask them to be on the offensive side of the ball, 20 yards back from the line. I now tell the offensive coaches to blow the whistle when they want their QB protected and we'll back it up. I refuse to guess when he wants it blown, and I don't want my crew to get into the bad habit of blowing early. 2 years ago, a coach got mad at me for, in his mind, protecting the other team's QB (a drop back passer) and not protecting his (a running QB). I said no more.

In the 7 or 8 scrimmages I have done since with these two things in mind, we've had no problems.

[Arbitrator]

I don't care if they want to be on the field, but ask them to be on the offensive side of the ball, 20 yards back from the line. I now tell the offensive coaches to blow the whistle when they want their QB protected and we'll back it up. I refuse to guess when he wants it blown, and I don't want my crew to get into the bad habit of blowing early. 2 years ago, a coach got mad at me for, in his mind, protecting the other team's QB (a drop back passer) and not protecting his (a running QB). I said no more.

In the 7 or 8 scrimmages I have done since with these two things in mind, we've had no problems.

 

Joe: I think that you're "spot-on" with your common-sense scrimmage management procedures. I'll be trying it out with mine and I greatly suspect that other Crew Chiefs will be doing so as well. Or at least they should be!