Umpire Calls PI when...

[BoomerSooner]

Has anyone ever discussed or considered using a discreet signal by which the U can suggest to another official he saw something that might have been missed, or alternatively a signal that the rest of the crew can use to ask the U for help on a PI situation. Could be something simple like the U grabbing the belt buckle to say I think I saw something. Or likewise the B could do the same thing and a quick nod from the U could confirm. I realize there is a lot going on in a short period and we don't want a flag to come out super late in a PI situation, but if practiced could something like this be done? Never heard of this but it came to me as I was reading the other posts because I've also been instructed that the U should just about never flag PI. The "just about" part was followed some cliche "I never say never" or "there is always an exception" type statement, but the point was clear...don't call it.

Generally speaking I think the only plays where the U would even be in the best position to see PI are on plays where a TE tries to clear out a LB where a back runs a route right behind him in the vacated space or on plays where a back appears to move up into the line to block and then slips out for the little 3-4 yard curl for a dump off pass. Those plays pretty much occur right in front of the U, but even then the B, L, or H should be able to get them.

[BIG UMP]

I don't believe a U will ever call PI. Why, he won't see the contact from beginning to end as is necessary to make the call. He will spin after the pass is thrown to assist with catch/no catch and won't see the entire play.

[bisonlj]

Absolutely not. Never. You never say never, but in this case you say never.

The only thing closer to a never is the umpire should never signal TD. There are two instances I can think of where they could though. The first is a fumble in the field of play and recovery by the offense in the end zone near the umpire. This has happened twice to me, and both times I told the BJ to signal since he was part of uncovering the pile. The second is a fumble on a kick return and the kicking team returns it for a TD on the U side.

If a U flags DPI it's a clear indication he's new or has not received proper training or ignores all training.

[JRutledge]

Never unless you are working 4 man mechanics. Otherwise, focus on blocking and maybe a catch over the middle if you can pivot.

Peace

[jTheUmp]

Originally Posted by bisonlj

The only thing closer to a never is the umpire should never signal TD. There are two instances I can think of where they could though. The first is a fumble in the field of play and recovery by the offense in the end zone near the umpire. This has happened twice to me, and both times I told the BJ to signal since he was part of uncovering the pile. The second is a fumble on a kick return and the kicking team returns it for a TD on the U side.

If there's a pile at the goal line, I'm almost certainly digging for the ball, and I'll let someone else give the touchdown signal once I find the ball and figure out who has possession.

I won't have a TD signal on a free-kick touchdown, since MN still uses to old 5-man free kick mechanics (I start at the 20 on L's sideline).

There's only one scenario where I would signal a TD as an umpire, although this is just a MN thing... MN puts the umpire in the offensive backfield on punt plays. If the ball is snapped from outside the 5 and inside the 15 or so, if there's a bad snap or a blocked kick. The way my crew has decided to handle those is to have the Umpire (me) cover the goal line and have the R cover the end line.

Inside the 5, the wing officials have the goal line on a punt, although I might still have a touchdown signal if R recovers the ball in my immediate vicinity. Hasn't happened to me yet though.


Back to the actual topic of this thread:

I'm never calling DPI because there's never a situation where I'm going to see the whole play AND be the only one who sees the whole play. I'm never calling OPI either... if one of my linemen is blocking downfield, I'll throw a flag for that; if H, L, or B wants to come up and tell me that blocking action should be OPI instead, so be it.

As for "discrete signals"... discrete signals don't stay discrete for long. Remember how the umpire used to do the "hand to the chest" signal to alert the wings to signal a touchdown on a goal-line pileup?

[BoomerSooner]

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

As for "discrete signals"... discrete signals don't stay discrete for long. Remember how the umpire used to do the "hand to the chest" signal to alert the wings to signal a touchdown on a goal-line pileup?

My thought was more that the timing on it wouldn't work. By the time the signal is given and another official processes it, the flag is going to be so late that nobody will feel good about it including the crew. It was just a thought based on the exact situation of signaling a wing on a TD that you mentioned. I was just curious if it was a tool that was out there that I'd never heard about.