TASO mechanics change - crews of 5

[ElvisLives]

I suspect many of you already know this, but, for 2025 (and beyond!), in TASO crews of 5, the H and L will swap sidelines after halftime (as is already being done with crews of 7). No big deal, other than both wings now need to be sure they are proficient in working with the chain crew. And the H will need to remember to get the clock stopped on first downs, and give the R a signal (when he/she is working on the pressbox side). H&L should both instruct the chain crew during pre-game.

[dammitbobby]

I don't understand why this change doesn't extend to 4- and even 3-man crews as well.

I know for our chapter, 73% of all the varsity games worked for 11-man were 5-man crews, and for 6-man, 88% were with a crew of 4 or less... doesn't make sense to me to have the modification for just 5-man crews, but not the others.

[bama_stripes]

We’ve been doing this in Alabama for several years with both 5 & 7 man crews (in 7-man, the deep wings swap as well).  I’m not aware of any significant issues.

My only gripe is that the wings spend an entire half building a relationship with a coach, then have to start over for the second half when the game is on the line.  That can cause problems if the individual officials have distinctly different personalities.

[ElvisLives]

I don't understand why this change doesn't extend to 4- and even 3-man crews as well.

I know for our chapter, 73% of all the varsity games worked for 11-man were 5-man crews, and for 6-man, 88% were with a crew of 4 or less... doesn't make sense to me to have the modification for just 5-man crews, but not the others.

I spoke with a member of the Mechanics Committee, and their rationale for not extending this mechanic to crews of 4 was that, indeed, most VARSITY crews of 4 are used in 6-player football. In those games, most of the officials are lesser experienced, and the committee thought the fewer ‘changes’ from crews of 5, the better. Just trying to keep it simple. Although we didn't specifically discuss crews of 3, I suppose the same rationale would apply. Remember: This is for VARSITY only.

[dammitbobby]

I can understand that.

But I can also see that it's six of one, half a dozen of another, in the sense that from my personal perspective, I'd rather newer officials focus on learning the mechanics consistently, in the sense of knowing (and learning) that no matter what game, what level, if you're the wing on the home side (L), you're going to drop back into punt coverage, rather than having to learn WHEN you're the L, you drop back, but when you're not, you don't, if that makes sense. I think it's better to teach consistency, even at the expense of a little complexity.  My reasoning is that I'd rather not have a wing 'forget' to drop back on a punt, for example, because they weren't used to it and miss a crucial call; I'd rather they learn to adjust at halftime sooner rather than later to minimize the opportunity for being in the wrong place or looking at the wrong thing.

[Bulldog75]

We’ve been doing this in Alabama for several years with both 5 & 7 man crews (in 7-man, the deep wings swap as well).  I’m not aware of any significant issues.

My only gripe is that the wings spend an entire half building a relationship with a coach, then have to start over for the second half when the game is on the line.  That can cause problems if the individual officials have distinctly different personalities.

The opposite can also be true.  Sometimes it's nice to move to the other coach at the half, depending on what kind of relationship you've been building.

[ElvisLives]

The opposite can also be true.  Sometimes it's nice to move to the other coach at the half, depending on what kind of relationship you've been building.

Which is precisely the reason that sideline swapping began, in the first place. Officials needed a way to get away from ultra-obnoxious coaches. Yeah, we can flag ‘em. We could even eject ‘em. But that doesn’t magically make the sideline pleasant. We’re human, and don’t like to be in conflict for 3 hours +. Spread the wealth, and let the other wing have some fun, too.
Started in the NFL, and NCAA picked it up in the mid-2010s some time. TASO jumped on the bandwagon around 2018/2019, with crews of 7. Now, we’re adding crews of 5.

[JasonTX]

I don't understand why this change doesn't extend to 4- and even 3-man crews as well.

I know for our chapter, 73% of all the varsity games worked for 11-man were 5-man crews, and for 6-man, 88% were with a crew of 4 or less... doesn't make sense to me to have the modification for just 5-man crews, but not the others.

I asked this question at the February meeting and the rationale is that 4 man crews are mostly subvarsity games where you are working multiple games so you can switch sides for the next game instead of at the half.  That's what we typically do.  If working a 3 banger we usually will work 3 different positions.

[ilyazhito]

It was an adjustment when I first started working NCAA games, but it wasn't that big of a deal. Perhaps that is because I started working NCAA football as a deep wing, and deep wing duties are usually interchangeable. The differences are on kickoffs and field goals.

For field goals, the shirt you are wearing, not the field position, determines who is under the posts and who stands with the umpire.

If I was an NCAA short wing official, my opinion might have been different.

[ElvisLives]

It was an adjustment when I first started working NCAA games, but it wasn't that big of a deal. Perhaps that is because I started working NCAA football as a deep wing, and deep wing duties are usually interchangeable. The differences are on kickoffs and field goals.

For field goals, the shirt you are wearing, not the field position, determines who is under the posts and who stands with the umpire.

If I was an NCAA short wing official, my opinion might have been different.

Keys also require some adjustment, mostly for the B, since, in balanced formations, his key is to the L’s side, wherever the L is. Easy to look toward the chains early in the second half, when the L has moved to the pressbox side. Not a major crisis, but a difference that takes some practice and concentration.

[dammitbobby]

I asked this question at the February meeting and the rationale is that 4 man crews are mostly subvarsity games where you are working multiple games so you can switch sides for the next game instead of at the half.  That's what we typically do.  If working a 3 banger we usually will work 3 different positions.

And while In understand that, it's not even remotely close to being true for us, for six-man games. The majority of those, for us, were 4-man crews, and it makes things backwards from a learning perspective... i.e., do this for these games, but not those games.

[JasonTX]

And while In understand that, it's not even remotely close to being true for us, for six-man games. The majority of those, for us, were 4-man crews, and it makes things backwards from a learning perspective... i.e., do this for these games, but not those games.

That's why we use 5 for sixman games. No bargaining with the coaches.  They get what we send.  I debate on using 7 persons on some games.    

[ElvisLives]

That's why we use 5 for sixman games. No bargaining with the coaches.  They get what we send.  I debate on using 7 persons on some games.   

And if they need to play their varsity games on Thursdays to get crews of 5, that’s just what they have to do. Accommodation is a two-way street.

[dammitbobby]

While I'm all in favor of that, without more numbers, I don't know that our board is in favor it, partially because we still have schools crying that they 'can't afford to pay 5 officials' which is utter nonsense.

Hopefully we get some numbers relief this year which will put us in a better position to mandate the 5-man crews.

[bama_stripes]

...we still have schools crying that they 'can't afford to pay 5 officials' which is utter nonsense.

It really is.  They only play 5 home games, which totals ~$500-$600 per season.  Raise the price of Dr Pepper by a quarter & kwitcherbitchin.

[ElvisLives]

It really is.  They only play 5 home games, which totals ~$500-$600 per season.  Raise the price of Dr Pepper by a quarter & kwitcherbitchin.

Start sellin’ beer and they could afford 8 (with some decent food in the dressing room)!

[Bulldog75]

As an L I'm not too excited about the change.  I'd rather stick with one PITA coach for the whole game than deal with a bumbling chain crew in the 2H.  Good chain crews make life easy, but if we're running 5 instead of 7 we're probably not getting a good chain crew either.

[oldtimerref]

Having been retired for many years, it  probably not my place to comment BUT I  had  a great experienced crew and would never have wanted to have them to change sides. I  can see now that some crew or crews may lose a down and an official working with chain crew my have a problem with this switch.  Never had a problem with wings on my old crew because they knew how to deal with coaches and they did not have RABBIT EARS.

[Etref]

While I'm all in favor of that, without more numbers, I don't know that our board is in favor it, partially because we still have schools crying that they 'can't afford to pay 5 officials' which is utter nonsense.

Hopefully we get some numbers relief this year which will put us in a better position to mandate the 5-man crews.

Don’t give them an option. Send 5 or none