NF vs. NCAA

[Bob M.]

Originally posted by JMN

Bob, thanks for your points. Good condensation of the Rules differences book, but about 200 pages less!

Expand on #13 above. We work 6 man college mechanics. What are your best tips on ball handling and what issues arise in the evaluations?

REPLY: My major issue with ball-handling was conference-specific I believe, and was related to how we were asked to handle it in seven-man crews. They did not want the FJ or SJ to handle ball changes. They wanted them to be concentrating solely on dead ball officiating. They wanted the BJ to be running sideline to sideline, getting the new ball from the ball boy, running it back to the middle of the field, and then tossing it parallel to the sidelines to the waiting umpire. Then, of course, an evaluation would say that we took too long to get the ball changed?!?!

Other issues in evaluation were that dead ball officiating suffered with the desire to get the ball exchanged more quickly. (Do the words "catch-22" come to mind?)

My own preference...the ball boy on the sideline should always be between the wing man and the deep guy, preferably close to the deep guy. Also--and this is important for it to work--the ball boy must move with the deep guy as he retreats to maintain his cushion to the goal line. Since most runs which end on the sideline will be covered by the wing man, the ball boy should be next to and work with the deep guy who's in a perfect position to both clean up watching for any late stuff and get the next ball. He should then run it in diagonally to the waiting umpire and conduct the exchange. In six man crews, having the SJ and FJ handle the ball is natural. It should be just as natural for a seven-man crew. Watch the NFL and most college conferences.