On the flip side of Snake~eyes post. What was the coolest or best play you got right?

MJT · #1 (**permalink**) Thu Dec 02, 2004, 12:02am

Not an enforcement issue, but we had a cool one in which I was very proud of my crew for holding their whistles. We had a runner being tackled in the open field on about the B-25 yardline when he totally landed on the guy tackling him, rolled over right on his feet and ran in for the TD! No complaining by the defensive coaches or players and the offensive coaches were obviously pleased. I saw it way downfield and from my view was wondering why no-one blew the whistle. After the try I asked my BJ what exactly happened, he told me and I told them once again how awesome they were! It made us look really good on a call which easily could have been blown dead. My crew has a tremendous relationship which adds to my joy in officiating.

schmitty1973 · #2 (**permalink**) Thu Dec 02, 2004, 01:36am

Ok my turn again! I was HL and the ball was around the B25 yard line. The OT lines up in the NZ, so I flag it and blow my whistle. Well the coach on my side is irrate. Yelling saying that he was not lined up in the NZ. So what do you think happens next? The offense breaks the huddle and the SAME GUY lines up in the NZ, so I flag it again and hit the whistle. Now the coach is really mad. He don't want to talk to me but insists on talking to the WH. The whole thing was really the centers fault because he would get literally right over the ball and take his stance, then the other guys on the line would follow suit, so the tackle lined up right in the NZ.

Anyway, I was proud of myself for sticking to my guns and making the right call while getting yelled at, and I was also thankful that my WH stood up for me and told the coach that I was right down the line and the coach is 15 yards away, how can he tell?

We talked about it during a TO and I mentioned we could REALLY tick him off by charging him a TO for an unauthorized conference, but he said that since we never had problems with that coach before to not worry about it.

cowbyfan1 · #3 (**permalink**) Thu Dec 02, 2004, 05:24am

A threw a backwards pass that hit the ground. B player was near it and he picked up the ball. I am thinking from my HL position I better get ready to bust to A's goal line for the "obvious" TD that was coming. Well the B player just stood there. We are all looking at him and none of us are blowing the whistle. Well the B player decides to throw the ball to the umpire, which was a backwards pass. U knew what was going on and stepped away from the pass so it would not hit him. An A team player jumps on the ball as the coaches finally figured out what was happening. 1-10 for A on a play that started off as 3rd and forever.

jimbulger1 · #4 (**permalink**) Thu Dec 02, 2004, 06:55pm

A long pass is completed a is runing in for what would be an easy TD except he gets confused by a soccor or other marking on the field he places the ball at the 3 yad line or so and proceeds to celebrate his touchdown i wait wait wait and finally blow my whistle and signal 1st down the WH comes over and asks me if i was practicing my rugby mechanics when I explained what happend he laughed an signaled 1st down as well pretty good stuff

Mike Simonds · #5 (**permalink**) Thu Dec 02, 2004, 09:35pm

Your experiences are great! Thanks for sharing.

The only situation I can think of happened in a game last month where A was leading B 19 to 18 with time running out in the 4th qtr. A had the ball 1st and 15 deep in their own territory. A runs the ball towards the lineman's side and gets tackled. B piles on. Our referee (a really good official and also our trainer) was ready to award A a first down but as the umpire I told him no, its B's ball because A did not make the line to gain and it was a dead ball foul. We confirmed this with the linesman and gave B the ball first and 10 after the 15 yard penalty. They threw 4 passes trying to score (they were out of field goal range due to their penalty) but time ran out and A still won 19-18.

I think this is the first time in 11 seasons of officiating that this casebook play actually happened in one of my games.

But its great when the crew works together to get it right.

cowbyfan1 · #6 (**permalink**) Fri Dec 03, 2004, 02:39am

Quote:

Originally posted by Mike Simonds
Your experiences are great! Thanks for sharing.

The only situation I can think of happened in a game last month where A was leading B 19 to 18 with time running out in the 4th qtr. A had the ball 1st and 15 deep in their own territory. A runs the ball towards the lineman's side and gets tackled. B piles on. Our referee (a really good official and also our trainer) was ready to award A a first down but as the umpire I told him no, its B's ball because A did not make the line to gain and it was a dead ball foul. We confirmed this with the linesman and gave B the ball first and 10 after the 15 yard penalty. They threw 4 passes trying to score (they were out of field goal range due to their penalty) but time ran out and A still won 19-18.

I think this is the first time in 11 seasons of officiating that this casebook play actually happened in one of my games.

But its great when the crew works together to get it right.

I had basically the same play 2 years ago in a little kids game. Can be fun to explain the A teams coach how he does not get a first down, especially in "Daddy ball".

jjrye22 · #7 (**permalink**) Fri Dec 03, 2004, 04:00am

Quote:

Originally posted by Mike Simonds
A had the ball 1st and 15 deep in their own territory. A runs the ball towards the lineman's side and gets tackled. B piles on. Our referee (a really good official and also our trainer) was ready to award A a first down but as the umpire I told him no, its B's ball because A did not make the line to gain and it was a dead ball foul. .

I hope you wrote the situation up wrong. It should probably read 4th and 15, right?

James

PSU213 · #8 (**permalink**) Fri Dec 03, 2004, 05:57am

Since I posted my worst play of the year, I have to post here to make myself feel better.

1/G at the 5 yard line. A1 runs toward my side (I am the HL), and he is hit and fumbles at the 1 yard line. The balls rolls into the EZ where B recovers. I award the ball to B on a TB. I know, not a brilliant rules coup, but I was happy that I had a bag on the fumble, and had a "crisp" signal on the TB, and to top it off, the "higher ups" in our chapter were there watching. I would say I basked in the glory, but how the heck can an official do that on the football field??? Plus, I had to just go out there and officiate the next play, because you are only as good as your next call.

Warrenkicker · #9 (**permalink**) Fri Dec 03, 2004, 08:56am

Some have said that it would have been better, safer, easier for the coaches to understand, less of a pain to me if I had not ruled on this one correctly but I saw what I saw.

A has the ball at B's 10. On a running play A fumbles. The fumble is nearly at rest at B-2. B1 tries to recover it and muffs it sideways. B2 tries to recover it and muffs it into the endzone. B3 recovers it on the ground in the endzone. I was working U at the time and see the entire play right in front of me. I call a safety. The state even confirmed it was the right call but don't try to convince B's coach of that.

ABoselli · #10 (**permalink**) Fri Dec 03, 2004, 09:33am

I was wondering the same thing - was it 4th and 15? You would tack on and award the first down for any down other than fourth.

But why would the team leading run the ball from deep in their own territory on 4th down - why not punt?

MJT · #11 (**permalink**) Fri Dec 03, 2004, 10:47am

Quote:

Originally posted by Warrenkicker
Some have said that it would have been better, safer, easier for the coaches to understand, less of a pain to me if I had not ruled on this one correctly but I saw what I saw.

A has the ball at B's 10. On a running play A fumbles. The fumble is nearly at rest at B-2. B1 tries to recover it and muffs it sideways. B2 tries to recover it and muffs it into the endzone. B3 recovers it on the ground in the endzone. I was working U at the time and see the entire play right in front of me. I call a safety. The state even confirmed it was the right call but don't try to convince B's coach of that.

Great call and you have to make that one, no matter what anyone thinks! If not, you are really impacting the game!
See how good you look when everyone who doesn't know that rule finds out you got it right.

MJT · #12 (**permalink**) Fri Dec 03, 2004, 12:26pm

Our best ever happened many years ago and I had to ask the "accused" official, as I couldn't remember exactly how it happened. It went like this.

A was kicking a 35 yard field goal. He kicked it way low into the linemen. The ball rolled around past the neutral zone as players tried to jump on it. Both teams touched it. I don't know who touched it first after the block. 3-5 seconds later the HL give a hard whistle while the ball is loose thinking the extra point rule applied. The players all quit and start leaving the field but the coach on the HL sideline says "Why did you blow that play dead? That was a live ball." I, the referee, replied to him very forcefully, "it's dead now". That was the last anybody ever said about it. This was the second varsity game of my HL career. Still funnier than sh#$ to this day.