Quote:
Originally Posted by scrounge
I've met so many officials who say that they can't go outside the numbers (btwn numbers and sideline) and there can't be any coaching. I have no idea where this myth came from, but apparently it's the football equivalent of the hands are part of the bat.
I have no idea where the 'no coaching' part came from - we're really going to police what they say? But a lot think it, for whatever reason.
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That used to be the rule. No coaching was permitted during the period that the injured player was being attended. A coach was permitted to request a time-out only after the injured player was removed. This was in place to prevent a free time-out/conference by a player faking an injury.
Rule 9 (current rule 9-8-1f) was amended - I don't know how long ago, perhaps 35 or more years ago - to clarify that "Between downs, communications between players and coaches near the sideline are not considered conferences, as defined in 2-6." Coaches have to stay off the field, players have to stay on the field. Well, this morphed (as you say, who is policing it?) into what amounted to an illegal sideline conference during an injury, and few, if any, Referees were inclined to enforce it. So Rules 3-5-8a(3) and 3-5-8c were added to permit the Outside 9-yard Mark Conference.