Defensive Pass Interference
Ray Lutz shared an article by Jon Bible, a veteran football official from Austin, Texas in his October 27, 2010 “Forward Progress” post. (Edited for clarity) The late Woody Hayes, whose Ohio…
Officiating Philosophy
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Defensive Holding
Here is a Ray Lutz “Forward Progress” post from September 7, 2009 (Edited and amplified for clarity) It is not only the offense that uses their hands illegally. There are four major…
Incomplete Pass or Catch and Fumble
The definition of a catch in the NFHS football rules book was clarified in 2015: Rule 2-4-1 – “A catch is the act of establishing player possession of a live ball which is…
When in Question
The Colorado Mechanics Manual provides multiple “When in Question” (aka “When in Doubt”) axioms that aid our judgment. Yes, we want fouls to scream, and we want the covering official to see…
Don’t Throw a Flag Unless you KNOW it was a Foul
I track a few high school football officiating social media sites. Recently, an official posted a play about a “questionable hurdle.” He said he was standing on the end line, saw it…
We Can’t Determine Who Plays
Early in my officiating career, I heard a veteran official describe an aggressive player who was on the edge of earning an unsportsmanlike conduct flag. He said he sent the player off…
Don’t Short-Circuit Your Development
(Note: This is my opinion. Please do not treat it as gospel. Everyone has a different high school officiating path. Choose your path, and then work hard to be the best (fill…
Rules Precede Judgment
We all need to work to be rules experts. We can’t just walk onto the field and officiate “by feel.” Rules precede judgment; how can we make a judgment call if we…