If you’ve officiated basketball, you know the importance of moving to achieve the proper angle: 1) to get the correct view through player matchups and 2) to avoid being straight-lined.
You’ll hear basketball officials say, “Move to improve.”
The same concept applies to football officiating but on a larger scale. (A basketball court is 84 feet long and 50 feet wide; a football field is 120 yards long and 53.3 yards wide. Three basketball officials view ten players while five football officials observe 22.)
Wings are restricted to remaining out of bounds until the ball is dead. So, they cannot move in a wide arc to better see between players like basketball officials can. But wings can move forward and backward to facilitate safety and to improve their view of players and “money lines” (the line to gain and goal line). Wings and back judges can move to properly bracket players.
Wings must move down the sideline to stay connected to their passing play keys. The Colorado mechanics manual says, “On a passing play, the wing officials must follow receivers downfield. There is no need to release downfield quickly. The wing can allow the receiver to go 10 yards downfield before he needs to follow. The wing should strive to be within 10 yards of the spot of a catch on his side of the field.”
There is a tradeoff between moving and standing still. The more you move, the less you see. We want to still when “it” happens. But often we must move (and sometimes very quickly).
Angle is more important than proximity. You can be too close to a play, and when you are, it explodes on you. But there’s a limit; you probably can’t call defensive pass interference or a runner stepping on a line from 40 yards away. We need to find the right balance between angle and proximity: We shouldn’t remain on the line of scrimmage when our passing play key moves far downfield, but we shouldn’t run to stay abreast of our key as he runs his route.
With a five-person crew, wings sometimes must compromise dedicating full attention to a player downfield to remain connected to another area of the field. If a wing needs to bust downfield to stay within shouting distance of his receiver, he must be aware of another receiver dragging across the middle or appearing out of the backfield or a quarterback tucking the ball and running downfield on his side of the field. We sometimes need to share our focus, just like a RADAR, with multiple players and areas of the field. We must move to provide the best possible look angle to all assigned areas.
Wings, don’t be hasty to step into players to mark forward progress. If you step into players, you decrease your field of view. Keep a 3-5 yard cushion to the players. The umpire is the only official who should consistently be in close proximity to players. Occasionally, the referee and back judge also must rush in to help separate players.
Wings, ensure you back away when a runner is approaching the sideline. Officiating is difficult when your safety is in jeopardy. Don’t get run over. Move backward (into the backfield and/or deeper in the restricted area) and allow the runner to pass, then trail the play.
Quiz
Read the quiz stem and then choose the best answer(s). (Choose all that apply.)
3/5 and R-8. Ten seconds remain in the game. K18’s game-winning field goal attempt is blocked behind the line and simultaneously recovered by K22 and R56 at the R-12 with three seconds remaining.
- 4/9 for Team K at the R-12
- 1/10 for Team R at the R-12
- The clock will start on the snap
- The clock will start on the ready for play
Review Rules 3-4-3b, 5-1-3e, 6-2-7