In the world of officiating, we are taught that every word in the rulebook matters. For the 2026 season, a seemingly minor “editorial” change was made to Rule 8-2 (Articles 2, 3,…
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…
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 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…
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 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…
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…
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…
