From Paul Diasparra CrownRefs Facebook post, dated February 16, 2026, (paraphrased for football officiating).
Don’t let a coach prompt you to go help your crewmate. If I’m not going to help my partner on my own initiative because I know I have important information to share, just because the coach says, “You’ve got to go help him!”, that does not compel me to offer an opinion about the play.
Make sure you’re 100%. Every time you blow the whistle, every time you decide to throw a flag or not throw a flag, you’re 100%. So when you choose to provide information to your crewmate, you’re 100%, and use that 100% language: “Hey Mark, I’m 100% that block was with open hands from the side.”
It’s always nice when your partner comes to you and says, “I’m 100%…you feel that instant reassurance.” On the flip side of that, if they say, “Hey, what did you see on that? I think it was from the side, or I’m pretty sure it was from the side,” now we’re just dealing with uncertainty, and who wants that brought to them?
So if you decide to offer information, only be 100%, and use that 100% language.
Quiz
Read the quiz stem and then choose the best answer.
4/10 from the K-40. During the scrimmage kick, R26 is flagged for holding at the K-45. R5 fields the kick at the R-30. During R5’s run, R17 is flagged for a blindside block at the R-45. R5 is downed at the R-48.
- 1/10 for Team K at midfield
- 1/10 for Team R at the R-30
- 1/10 for Team R at the R-20
Review Rules 2-16-2h, 10-2-4, 10-4-3, 10-4-4c