Victory Formation
The 2024 NFHS Rules Book does not explicitly direct Victory Formation protocol. As with other officiating philosophies, opinions regarding the Victory Formation philosophy range widely. On one end of the spectrum: Regardless…
Ready For Play
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Wing “No Man’s Land”
It was a rivalry game, and the stands were packed. The visiting team had a “dual threat” quarterback who could gain significant yardage with his legs when flushed out of the pocket. I…
The Biggest Barrier to Learning
I subscribe to a few weekly newsletters. James Clear publishes the 3-2-1 Newsletter each Thursday, which reaches over 3 million subscribers. Here’s one of his quotes that I felt applies to us as…
Referee
Here is a Ray Lutz “Forward Progress” post from August 13, 2008 (Edited and amplified for clarity) The referee is the game administration guy, he is the safety guy, he is a…
Playoff Mentality
Playoffs have begun throughout the country. Here are a few thoughts to consider. Some states augment the crews with extra officials for rehearsal games and for semi-final and championship games. In Colorado,…
Back Judge
Here is a Ray Lutz “Forward Progress” post from October 13, 2011 (Edited and amplified for clarity) I have had the opportunity to watch some game film from other crews this week.…
When the Back Judge has the Goal Line
With a 5-person crew in Colorado, the back judge is responsible for the goal line when the ball is snapped outside the B-10. The back judge will be the only official to…
Referee Penalty Announcement
Here are a few suggestions for referees when announcing and signaling penalties: Think of all components of the announcement before you start (especially the down). You don’t want to be in the…