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…
Officiating Philosophy
Read MoreIncomplete Pass or Catch and Fumble
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…
If You Make an Issue Out of It, It Will be an Issue
Officiating is a human endeavor, and we all have different philosophies, opinions, and judgments. Some officials (me included) have a high sense of justice. My “J” is very high on the Meyers-Briggs…
When is a Body Slam Unnecessary Roughness?
This paragraph appeared in a September weekly Colorado high school football coaches bulletin: “Unnecessary roughness is a judgment call. The best thing players can do is avoid putting the officials in a…