[cowbyfan1]

Originally posted by mcrowder
First let me remind - I'm only a 3rd year guy, but I think I have a decent handle on coaches most of the time (still learning, trying to make that ALL the time). Anyway...

I'm R - a very young, but pretty good 2nd year guy at HL. Play flying out of bounds on his side, and he diligently gets his spot, but doesn't turn to dead-ball officiate. U is hustling to get there, but doesn't see dead-ball action. I see it. Defender and ball carrier were attached as they rode out of bounds and defender disengages as they cross, but runner flies to the ground after taking 2 steps to try to catch himself. It looked AWFUL, and probably worse from the coaches angle.

But I didn't think it was late.

HL is taking CONSTANT screaming from the coach. I was helping get the ball back to U and getting ready for the next play. I consider approaching the coach, but don't, wanting to let our young HL handle it himself.

I should have.

I should have, before getting the ball ready, gone to tell him that I saw the action after the play, and explained why I didn't think it was late. But I didn't.

Ball goes over on downs a few plays later. Coach still going. 2nd down for the other team and it breaks toward HL's side. As the play passes him, he blows an IW (with a finger-whistle). This kid would have scored. He felt badly, but I felt just as badly, as I could have fixed this. I think he was flustered from the constant berating.

You guys have any similar experiences? How would you, as R, have handled this? Should I have stepped in after the ribbing continued for 2, 3, 4, plays? At halftime we told HL not to be afraid to use the SL Warning to settle down a coach like that, but I wish I'd have headed this off.

I am taking it that the crew in pregame desided that the sideline official would look OOB on plays like this. I know some people like the wing man to look in and that is may be what he is used to. That could be why he was looking in.
As far as dealing with the coach saying something then and there would be better. Most times (not all) a second offical (not just the white hat) saying something in agreement would settle the coach down.
He also may not have been able to respond to the coach since he did not really know what happened and as a result it got to him.