Know Rule Components
Some fouls “scream,” but most times we deal with calls that aren’t obvious and require discernment. We call that “judgment.” Precise rules knowledge underpins good judgment. If we don’t know the rules,…
Ready For Play
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Look at Colors
With only five sets of eyeballs looking at 22 players on the field, we can’t give the same attention to every matchup. That’s why looking at the flow of colors helps us…
Do Not Help Coaches with Clock Timing
In high school football, we work with either a 25-second or 40-second play clock. Late in a half, when the game clock is winding down, coaches will sometimes ask the referee to…
Free Kick Chaos
Braveheart, with Mel Gibson as William Wallace, is one of my favorite movies. One of the most gripping scenes comes when the English and Scottish forces sprint toward each other and collide…
Radars
While on active duty in the Air Force, I served two years at Yongsan Army Garrison in Seoul, South Korea, as the Joint Staff’s Theater Missile Defense Officer. One of the radars…
Hardwood and Gridiron Similarities
I officiated basketball for 4 years starting in 2011. It’s a different ball and a different surface—but I’ve found a lot of basketball officiating principles apply to football. There are numerous examples;…
Train Your Brain for Chaos
NFL sideline official Jeff Hutcheon recently shared a powerful insight during an interview with the South Denver Fellowship of Christian Athletes (posted on YouTube on May 26, 2025). He was talking about…
Words to Avoid
In the previous Ready for Play article, we discussed using descriptive words to provide clarity when communicating with coaches. In this article, we’ll look at words officials sometimes use that don’t really…