Three Man Crews

[paulsonj72]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

I'm assuming you're talking varsity games. We still use 3 man crews in Texas but only for jr. high games (or HS subvarsity games if we're short -- which is rare).

As far as varsity games go, its been a LONG time. My dad started working football in the early '50s. He worked smaller schools and they used 3 man crews while the bigger ones would use 4, but almost everyone was using 4 man by the '70s in Texas at the latest. 5 man, even at smaller schools, was standard by the '80s. We've been using 7 man in the metro areas since the mid-2010s (small and large schools). Smaller CHAPTERS in Texas still have issues filling all their small school 11-player games with 5 guys, but for the most part, I think most games are covered. A few might be 4 man.

6-player football gets 4 officials, unless its a Saturday game and the chapter or coaches agree for 5. Or, its a playoff game. 5 officials working a 6 man game is the pinnacle of officiating! I've never been in a situation where you have essentially every aspect of the game covered yet no one gets in the other's way.

More info than you asked, but what the heck...

Yes Varsity games. The two games I saw were state semi final playoff games in the nine-man class in Minnesota in 1975. The then four 11 man classes used the then customary four man crews