Sometimes we freeze, brain-fart, head up and lock, swallow our whistle, or panic. We make the wrong call. It happens. How we react when we snap out of it and refocus is important.
Bottom line, it’s important to get it right regardless of the consequences. It may be messy, the crew may appear sloppy, and we’ll probably receive some kind of abuse from the team that “suffered” when we correct a call. It doesn’t matter. We need to get it right at all costs.
Here are some examples of mistakes that, when corrected, won’t make the crew look good:
- K45 recovers a scrimmage kick beyond the neutral zone and runs the ball into the end zone. The officials do not blow their whistles. Worse yet, an official signals touchdown.
- Team K punts, R40 muffs the kick, the ball rolls into the end zone, K10 falls on the ball and the covering official signals touchdown.
- Team K punts and R40 muffs the kick. While the ball is loose, the covering official blows an inadvertent whistle. K38 then falls on the loose ball.
- Team K encroaches on the kickoff. The back judge throws a flag but fails to kill the play. R80 fields the kick and runs into the end zone for a touchdown.
I’m fairly certain Team K’s coach in the first, second, and third examples and Team R’s coach in the fourth example will not be happy when we correct the mistake. They may become irate and loudly protest. I think we need to give them as much latitude as possible to voice their displeasure (as long as they don’t cross the line with excessive gesturing, loud abusive talk, or profanity).
It’s important to provide a clear and concise explanation using “by rule” verbiage.
- “Coach, by rule, the kicking team cannot advance a kick. We should have killed the play immediately when your player gained possession. You’ll still retain the ball at that spot.”
- “Coach, by rule, when the kick crossed the goal line, the ball was dead. K10 did not recover a live ball. The result of the play is a touchback.”
- “Coach, the inadvertent whistle caused the ball to become dead. By rule, we have no option but to replay the down.”
- “Coach, by rule, encroachment is a dead-ball foul. The back judge should have immediately killed the play. We will enforce the foul and rekick”
Some (mature) coaches will understand and accept the mistake. They may put in a parting shot as they walk away, but they’ll move on. Unfortunately, many coaches will remain angry and will insist on getting their pound of flesh as payment for the mistake.
A coach cannot successfully argue against a correct application of the rule, even if it is “late.” He may continue to debate because he wants the crew to stick with the initial call. The official should say, “Coach, I’m sorry we originally did not properly rule on the play. We got together as a crew and we corrected our mistake. It took some time but we got it right.”
“We got it right” should be our final word.
Quiz
Read the quiz stem and then choose the best answer(s).
Free Kick from the K-40. R33 muffs the kick and then bats the ball into the end zone from the R-6. K10 recovers the ball in the end zone.
- The result of the play is a safety
- The result of the play is a touchdown
- The result of the play is a touchback. Team R will next snap the ball at the R-10
- The result of the play is a touchback. Team R will next snap the ball at the R-3
- Team K will rekick from midfield
Note: This play is different from the last Ready for Play quiz. This play addresses R33’s foul during a free kick instead of a scrimmage kick.
Review Rule 2-13-4a, Rule 6-3-1, and Rule 10-4 (Basic Spots)