number?

[Snake~eyes]

Don't you hate it when coach asks for a number and you were unable to get it? For instance you see the holding then the ball carrier goes down the sideline and you have to watch the OOB so you were unable to get a number?

And today I got the number and told WH so he could tell coach. Coach calls a timeout and says he doesn't have a number 58 on the team, I was like UGH!

Do they honestly think I just make it up?

[Rich]

My experience is that if you don't have a number, the coaches will ACT as if you made it up.

I had a person work with me this year who didn't have a number on a foul in a varsity game. I was the WH. The coach wasn't thrilled. At halftime, I reminded everyone to be extra careful and get a number. You would've thought I asked some on the crew to cure some major disease. "It's a courtesy, " I was told. Easy for a back judge to say -- he isn't a wing or a WH getting chewed on for it

Rich

[FBullock]

Sometimes we all loss the number. If it's on a scrimmage play, you may pick up the position, right tackle, slot back, etc. I was charting penalties for a Div. I college game and the official didn't get the number but he knew it was the right up back in punt formation. The next time they punted, we got the number. Sometimes it don't work. Coaches also need to understand that in the middle of a play so numbers look a like, such as 5, 6 & 8. On a jersey when bodies are going everywhere, it's easy to transpose a number. I work on slowing down and making sure the foul is there and the number is easier to get and remember. It's just one more thing to work on to take your game to the next level.

[ABoselli]

We had a DPI called on a team (long pass, only two guys back there - the reciever and the DB) and another B player asked me after the play what number it was on. The BJ who called it had gotten the number wrong but it was pretty obvious who the penalty was on. I told the player the number and he told me that if we didn't have the right number, then it wasn't a foul.

I gave him the "come on, now" look. I do think, though, that that is how they look at it.

From the wing, it's hard to get numbers on, say, holds on a sweep to your side. I try to make a concerted effort to stay with the foul as long as I am able so I can get the number. I sometimes end up with the number of the player who is getting held, though.

If I make a mental note of the numbers to my side and in the backfield before the snap, it helps.

[AndrewMcCarthy]

If the foul was obvious and you just didn't get the number, try asking the team that fouled.

Who was it that pulled on his face mask like that?

One of the kids will usually tell you.

[mikesears]

Another trick I was taught this year is to verbalize the foul and number.

Say, "# (whatever), (foul)", then throw the flag.

Example: "#76 was holding", then throw the flag.

Coaches do get upset when we can't get a number.

[Mike Simonds]

As an umpire I'm always trying to spot my numbers on the line as the OL comes up to the line of scrimmage. One of our referees I enjoy working with plays this game with me: what number ran the ball and what number tackled him? Etc., etc. I will watch a good block or a good play by the defense and note the number of the player, etc. After a while you will get used to using your brain like a computer: you put information in and then retrieve it later.

[JMN]

I agree with Andrew. If you miss the number, just go to the team's huddle and say, "which one of you guys just held the receiver?". They usually say "It was me" or raise their hand like in basketball.

The other strategy when working wings (which I also include in the pregame with the coach when I'm at R) is to let the coach know that we will do everything we can to get a number on a foul, but it may not always be possible since we need to continue to officiate the play. This way, they've at least heard it once if you miss a number and can't report it to them.