Thoughts on Game Interrupter s

[eventnyc]

Worked a JV game this past weekend. When I arrived at the game site, I learned that one of my partners (3 man crew) was a first year official working his 3rd game. I am in my third year and our WH had over ten years experience. I also discovered that one of our more experienced and respected WH was observing the game due to injury. Naturally, I asked to be evaluated as well. In reference to my performance, the only constructive criticism he mentioned was the fact that I threw a flag on the twelve yard line (going in) for an OS penalty on the Offense (the left side of the line was lined up in the NZ). The score was 18 - 12 at the time, 1:05 remaining in the 4th quarter. His comment, which was well taken, was that the call was a game interrupter. He suggested that I (or the WH) should have went into the O huddle after the play and commented about the infraction. He mentioned that the only one who probably noticed the infraction was the crew and it was not a safety issue. By the way, after moving them back five, the other wing flagged them for a hold moving them back further. Thank God, they went in to score with 40 seconds left and won 19 -18. Your thoughts on game interrupters.

[MD Longhorn]

I understand the evaluators point in a blowout (especially in lower levels)...

But in a close game, CALL WHAT YOU SEE.

[Simbio]

I agree with both points, but unless the lineup gave him a major advantage, I would've just done some preventative officiating and warned him.

[Theisey]

What would you now do if the defense jumped into the NZ on the otherside of the formation?

That's an obvious foul every one in the stands sees and knows the result.
Problem being is that the play should have been killed prior to the snap because team-A already committed a foul but you as an official decided not to call it.

[Ed Hickland]

If this was the first time you observed them lining up in the neutral zone and it was not obvious; I would agree a silent warning after the play.

The policy my crew uses on neutral zone infractions is the it has to take an advantage or they have been warned at least once.

In this case 65 seconds in the game, on the 12-yard line trailing by less than a TD and now a penalty for improper lineup. Did they gain an advantage? If not, why call it?
Could this call decide the game? In other words, have you placed yourself in a position with a minor call that did not give an advantage to determine the final score?

[gsf23]

I don't understand. 1:05 left in the game, only a six point defecit and a team only 12 yards from scoring and you are told to ignore a penalty?!? That makes no sense at all to me. Preventative officiating is fine in a blowout or early in a game, but at the end when it's on the line, you gotta call that.

You say the evaluator told you that no one else but the crew probably saw it and there was no safety issue so it didn't need to be called? So if the coach and the crowd don't see it and no one gets hurt, you should just ignore it? No wonder people think that officials don't know what they are doing sometimes.

How do you know that it didn't give the team an advantage?

[Mike Simonds]

I agree with your ruling: in a close game you need to call these fouls, especially at the high school level.

Main point is that as officials we maintain consistency throughout the entire game.

[MD Longhorn]

If this is a 7th grade game, I can almost justify to myself a defense of this position. But in JV, it doesn't matter whether there may or may not be a perceived advantage. If there was no advantage at all, it wouldn't be illegal.

What if you decide not to flag it, and the sweep comes your way. Are you ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE that the line being just a bit forward didn't give that side of the line ANY advantage? You can't flag it NOW, once you realize that it probably did.

JV game, down to the wire - FLAG IT.

[bluezebra]

18-12 with 1:05 left, and the guy evaluating said you shouldn't flag it? In my opinion, he's a boob. Lining up in the NZ is a FOUL. If the "O" goes in for a score, are you going to decide then?

By the way, there is NO offside foul in FED. Hasn't been in YEARS. It's encroachment, and a dead ball foul. Flag it and blow your whistle. Or do them at the same time.

Bob

[Forksref]

This late in the season, at the JV level, they should know enough not to enter the neutral zone. I have no problem with a flag there. A warning is ok too, but I don't think we need to ignore fouls.