Y'all know I'm not the most experienced official in the world, but in my third year, I like to think I've gotten the hang of the linesman position a little bit. I need and want more reps, but I was taught the basics pretty well and pay attention, so I'm confused about some stuff that happened to me recently and want to throw it out to the more experienced folks out there in hopes you can help me get a firmer grip on this.
Note that in this particular instance, I'm talking about 4-man mechanics under Fed rules, though I primarily work 2 or 3-man.
1. First off, true or false? If the play ends on my side of the field, I have the spot, correct? (In this diagram, on the bottom half of the graphic, below the arrow bisecting the field):
If the play goes to the opposite side, I shouldn't try to trump the LJ's spot, especially if the runner has his back (and, therefore, the ball) to me, right? So he shouldn't trump my spot either, right? And if it's in the middle, it's possible the umpire could get the spot?
2. Second, I was taught that if you're the opposite wing on a play at the goal line, there's no need to "mirror" the other wing's touchdown signal. True?
If a kid runs for a touchdown right at me when I've got the goalline covered, I signal touchdown, but there's no need for the other wing, on the other side of the field, to mirror me, correct? Likewise, no need for me to mirror him if it goes to his side?
3. The backward pass. I was taught two things:
a. That it's the wing's call because he has the best angle on the play;
b. That, when in doubt, it's forward. If it's parallel to the line, it's forward. If it's not clearly backward, it's forward.
Is that right?
The basic type of play in question:
Recently, I had a white hat say a backward pass was forward, saying "I was closest to it" despite both wings saying it was clearly backwards and B had recovered (luckily, it was on 4th down anyway). Actually, he had made his call and said "Well, we can't change it now."
Second instance, same game, same WH: Clearly forward pass, incomplete. I say incomplete, clearly. Change my down indicator, look back at the box to get that changed. WH announces to the crowd that not only was that an inadvertent whistle (apparently he, being closer to that than us, saw
that one as backward, when it was clearly forward from my angle), but that "by rule, the down is replayed" (which I don't think is the case).
But he did all of this
without ever consulting me. Not a word. In his mind, the pass was backward and I blew an IW. I felt hung out to dry.
4. Not necessarily a wing mechanic, just want to get an intepretation because I've had two experienced officials tell me two different things recently:
An offensive lineman engaged with a defensive lineman can clutch the defensive lineman's jersey as long as he is clearly within the frame of the defensive player's body (the trunk), correct? I had someone tell me (and demonstrate to me) that if and when the defensive player got to the side (even) and then passed the offensive lineman, that the OL had to release, but up until then, he could grasp the jersey. And I had another, very experienced, state finals official tell me he couldn't grab the jersey.
That came into play with a coach yelling "He's holding him right in front of you!" recently and I had to explain that it was a legal block. I hope it was. I'm confused now, though, so I thought I'd ask.
Thanks for the help.