Making Calls out of your primary.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by btaylor64

Let me touch up my last post. I didn't mean to make it sound like I dislike college refs. I have many that I truly respect and they are doing what they have to in order to get more games and make more money. I just totally dislike the philosophy of "let your partner live or die with that play". I'm not going to let my partner live or die with a block charge play when he comes up with no whistle on sufficient contact. He might have been caught by surprise and did not want to guess so in this case you aid the game, your crew and yourself and in that order by blowing on this play.

What if there was a flop? What if your partner passed on a play they did not think was a foul and it is in their area? I know I do that all the time and I do not want another official making a call that I clearly was passing on. Many times I see officials make calls in other official's areas, they are also wrong. And if someone is constantly caught by surprise, they may not need to be out there. That is especially true at the college level.

Originally Posted by btaylor64

What about plays where your partner is in good position to see a play and all of a sudden he spins or does something that takes him to a straight stack but you now have the best look in the house, I believe you owe it to, once again, the game, the crew and yourself to make a call if there is a foul.

If that is in the lane, then all the officials are likely looking there anyway. But if the play is up to in front of the T and I get a call from the C or L, then we have a problem.

Originally Posted by btaylor64

I hope my partners never let me live or die with plays. I just ask them to do one thing. Be 100% sure, according to your teachings, that it is a foul. If you were sure then I am more than content with it.

Well if you are working with me and many other experienced officials (especially at the college level) there are not going to be a lot of officials looking in your area. So you are going to have to live and die with that call in the first place.

Originally Posted by btaylor64

When I go work college games, I love having crew members who aren't afraid to blow the whistle and will be aggressive. I love double whistles on plays that aren't completely obvious but are fouls non the less in dual coverage areas. I love hearing something other than the primary officials whistle on PnR plays. These plays are part of a team officiating approach and IMO it makes for an overall better report with your crew and a better officiated game.

I cannot speak for you, but this philosophy is not a "college philosophy." If anything it is an officiating philosophy. I do this along with several other high school officials I have worked with and it is talked about in pre-game meetings all the time. I have more high school tapes with officials that have never stepped on a college floor and they adhere to that way of calling the game clearly.

Peace