Sliding Runner
Rule 2-32-16f says a defenseless player is one who is on the ground, including a runner who has obviously given himself up and is sliding feet-first. Officials may struggle with how to…
Rules
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Blocking in the Back
Here is a Ray Lutz “Forward Progress” post from August 29, 2008 (Edited for clarity) The play missed most overall by officials is probably the block in the back. When I say…
Rules Knowledge is Perishable
Rules knowledge is like mastering a second language. When you’re immersed, hearing and speaking it every day, the words come naturally. When you step away, even for a short time, your vocabulary…
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,…
Press Coverage
Press coverage is a defensive technique used by defensive backs (DBs) to tightly cover a wide receiver at the line of scrimmage. The goal is to disrupt the receiver’s timing, release, and…
Illegal Batting/Kicking and Forward Fumble
This is the first Art of Officiating Ready for Play article in 2025! Since most are beginning to dig into the rules book and take state-mandated tests, I figured I’d start the…
Screwing Up the Overtime
Here is a Ray Lutz “Forward Progress” post from September 1, 2008 (Edited for clarity) In Colorado we use the NFHS procedure for resolving tied contests as written. Some State Associations have…
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…