Complaint or Communication?
Officials, especially wing officials, must learn to tell the difference between a coach who wants to communicate and a coach who just wants to complain. The difference can be subtle, but it…
Ready For Play
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How Dare You Show Your Back to Me!
In the movie “Gladiator,” Maximus is in the Roman Colosseum to reenact the Battle of Carthage, where he and a group of gladiators are expected to be slaughtered by a heavily armed…
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…
When We Make a Mistake
“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Napoleon Bonaparte Mistakes are not optional in football officiating, they’re inevitable. The question isn’t if we’ll…
Playoff Mentality (2025)
This article, first published October 8, 2024, is worth revisiting as we prepare for the upcoming playoffs. Some states augment the crews with extra officials for rehearsal games and for semi-final and…
Lessons From the Film Room
I’ve watched hours of Hudl footage this season, and some common themes keep showing up. These aren’t one-off mistakes; they’re patterns across multiple crews. Here are a few observations that can help…
Don’t Be Defensive
When we put on the stripes, criticism comes with the job—whether from coaches, players, fans, or even other officials. That’s not something to resent; it’s part of the environment we’ve chosen. What…
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…