handling them
 

As a Coordinator who handles both 2-person and 3-person NCAA assignments, if you think officials can easily "handle" the differences, that is a mistake. It is very tough to make changes on mechanics...as for most of us they are instincts/reactions.

With some states in this area using the NF 3-person, I can tell you, most of them struggle, and struggle to a large degree. Throw in the 2-person states at the NF level (as well as the 2-person college assignments) and they struggle even worse.

When you have to think about what you should be doing, it often causes the official to forget why they are there...to officiate!

It is major difference as far as I'm concerned, until some of the best around here (New England) prove otherwise.

I have to caveat Rut’s answer for Illinois. Here in the south where some of our graduating class sizes wouldn’t even make a respectable freshman English class in a Chicagoland school, high school runs 50-50% 2 to 3 man crews. It is getting better.

In Louisiana, the Shreveport metro area went to all 3 man crews for JV and V boys and girls. Coaches and ADs tried to regress the next year but the association stuck to it.

I have not worked in Southern Illinois but......
 

I am not aware of the areas that you work, but I do not work just in the Chicagoland area. Actually, I was doing 3 Person for 3 full years before I ever stepped into the Chicago area. I have officiated at schools that bearly have 100 students, but still hire 3 officials for all their varsity games. Actually, there are more conferences in the Chicagoland area that do not have 3 officials for games(Upstate 8, Chicago Public League, Private League for most games), but you go to the sticks and the farm areas, and that is all you see. I am not aware where Carterville is located, but most of the northern to central Illinois areas use 3 Person regularly. And when you go around Springfield, they use almost all 3 Person from what the officials that work there tell me.

Peace

Here in Michigan we have both 3 man and 2 man crews it depends on what part of the state you live. But you ready for this our county works 3 man all season, but in the districts and regionals we use 2 man. Then in the Semis and finals we go back to 3 man. Confused yet?

Northern VA we run 3-person for all varsity games. Started it last year (for larger schools) and I really like it better than 2-person. Still run 2-person for all freshman and JV games.