For those of you who either work or are familiar with both the Federation and NCAA codes, if you could choose only one of the most striking differences in the codes, what would that rule, philosophy, or mechanic be? Which do you believe to be better and why?

REPLY: JMN, I couldn't think of <b>one</b> difference, but here are a few that come to mind:

1. Kicks remain live in B's endzone until they touch the ground prior to touching B (vs. automatic TB in Fed once they cross the goal line plane)
2. Enforcement spot/Basic spot for running play fouls--especially the exceptions for contact fouls by team A
3. Automatic first downs for personal fouls by B and for fouls against eligible receiver if pass crosses the NZ
4. Catchability of forward pass considered in ruling DPI/OPI
5. 4th down / out-of-bounds fumble rules
6. Allowing passer to dump pass when >5yards from spot of the snap
7. Offside (live ball foul) - encroachment (dead ball foul)
8. Number of legal forward passes per down
9. Difference in forward pass catch ruling when sideline contact by B is involved
10. Ability for B to score on a try
11. Unsuccessful FG outside B's 20 returned to previous spot.
12. NCAA game is 25% longer than Fed. I really felt it in my first few college games--especially with the more prolific passing game! I was a BJ.
13. Seven man mechanics make it so much easier. However, in many conferences, ball changing technique has become the 'tail that wags the dog' in evaluation.
14. Much greater formality in post game requirements (foul reports, etc.)

These are only a few of the differences. In general with a few exceptions (oops...can I say the word 'exception' when we're talking about Federation rules?), NCAA rules favor the offensive passing game more than their Fed counterparts (see 3 & 6 above). Also, the NCAA rules seem to be very aware of their television exposure--hence the specific uniform rules (socks, gloves, etc.).

In the vast majority of differences, I believe that the NCAA rule is the better rule--but are typically more difficult to remember and harder to enforce properly because of all the exceptions and the special enforcements. Clearly, the NCAA code requires more expertise on the part of the officials to properly administer.

Hey JMN

These are the two that come to mind off the top of my head...

1. Offensive fouls that involve contact are enforced from the previous spot in NCAA, from the spot of the foul in NFHS. I have always disliked the scenario where a holding foul in NFHS can take you from 2/10 to 2/25 or worse.

2. OPI. 15 and a LOD in NFHS, but only 15 in NCAA. I would agree that there should be a 15 yard penalty for OPI, but I feel that LOD is a little too much.

Just my 2 cents...

UE

I am glad I live in Texas. All we have is NCAA, regardless of level from Pee Wee to college. It is nice not having to move back and forth. The NCAA rules are pretty involved, and the nuances get even more complicated. Another difference is that we have to have contact to have pass interference.

REPLY: Also, significant differences in the Momentum Exception. Neither code has it perfect, but if you put both together, I think you'd have it!

I worked six man NCAA last year for the first time in JC games and will work DIII for the first time this year. You're right about the length of games. You sort of develop an inner clock that when a quarter goes long, you notice it. Well, I'm sitting there in the first quarter and look up at the clock and theres about 4 minutes left and I think to myself, "Man, this is a long quarter" but then think, "Of course it's a long quarter, jerk, it's a longer quarter!"

I agree on the ball rotation thing, too. That was the most disconcerting thing about doing that level. Ball in, ball out, change of possession, who uses which ball, ball boys that start looking at the butterflies, ball changes on long incompletes....it takes getting used to.

I worked (will work) LJ and the biggest thing I had to remember was to let the defense come across and get back after being so conditioned to whistle it and stop the play.

A good pre-game and a good R are essential starting out.

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 <u>most</u> college conferences.