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Originally Posted by mbcrowder
I'm a HL as well, and cannot imagine any need for me to be on the field at all on a play that's coming my way (heck - except for pinch-ins on goal-lines and close 1st downs or fumbles ... I can't think of why I'd need to be on the field even if the play is going the other way). Your statement that staying off the field will make you a marginal official is just way off. Why would you say such a thing, especially to a rookie who has just understood firsthand why we shouldn't be out there. You say he was in perfect position... why is "on the field" a perfect position on a play your way.
ESPECIALLY on plays your way or along your sideline, STAY THE HECK OFF THE FIELD.
Please enlighten me as to why you would consider ON THE FIELD a good position on a play like this (even without the lateral).
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From the description, it sounds like the play had already passed him. He was behind the play and wide, just a few feet inside the sideline ready to follow the runner down the sideline to the endzone. That's a perfect postion to observe both the runner, the sideline and anything else.
If he is outside the sideline, there is more chance of someone - a coach, player, ball boy, etc. stepping up to get a better view of the play as it heads down the sideline. If he's out there he may need to swerve around them and get left behind. About five feet in for this particular situation sounds about right. Maybe he could have been a yard wider but his position wasn't bad at all.
Obviously if this was an interception and the play was heading toward me down the sideline I'd get off the field and out of the way, but since the play had moved passed him, he was fine.