[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Ref Ump Welsch

I agree the rule needs to change. I had a sit last Friday where O had a running play, and the clock was winding down. I heard someone yelling timeout from the sideline, and looked over to see IF it was the HEAD coach. I see him signalling and yelling timeout, at the same time, I've got an assistant coach running a beeline at me yelling "He's calling timeout, he's calling timeout!" I blow my whistle and signal the timeout and then the assistant coach said "Jeez! 9 seconds lost off the clock!"

What did you just say? I walked up to the assistant and said loudly enough for EVERYONE on the sideline to hear "I was looking to make sure your HEAD coach was saying it. You don't need to run up to me and scream in my face. Next time you even do that may be the last time you do it on the sideline tonight!" He shook his head and turned away from me. I had to have a word with the head coach and told him to get his coaching staff under control. He had this look like, wow, you don't take much s**t, do you???

At halftime, my crew was asking me what happened, so I told the same story I just told you all. We decided to have the R, U, and myself (HL) talk with the head coach and reiterate the rule and ask him to tone his assistant down. Had no problems in the second half with any of the coaches on that sideline.

Just curious why you had this conversation with the assistant coach at all. If any warnings need to be delivered to any assistants - they need to be given to them by the head coach, and you need to be giving the warnings regarding assistants to the head coach. I never engage an irate assistant. I'll talk briefly to polite ones or those that just have questions or information. But irate ones don't get any direct responses.