New official here, and I've been working a wing most of the time. Question I have is what is the best way to count the guys on the line to make sure you have 7? Sometimes you can not see the players on the far side. Any tips at working a wing would be great!! Thanks!!

The best advice is just keep doing it and watch your opposing wing. If you don't have one due to three man mechanics, the U should be helping you with this. With two wings remain aware of how many players are on your side, are you punching back the nearest player, is he punching back his nearest player, how many backs can you see along with either of you punching back?. Ideally we would like to see 7 on the line, the crown of some fields and the size of some players make that hard. If you have to, step up or down field to get a different angle for your count. It will become second nature quicker than you would believe but if you miss it, you miss it, don't guess there are not 7. Assume there are 7 and prove by count there are not.

also watch for a signal of an unbalanced line. this will tell you to look for an extra man on your side.

Here's something I was told and it works out really well. Assuming you have two wing officials, your responsibility ends with the center. So what I do is start counting from the guard towards me, if I have three, I grab the bill of my cap to alert the opposite official my side is good. If I have two, I make a two or peace sign and put that on my chest. If I have four, I place an open palm on my face. Very seldom do you see a team run an unbalanced line but when they do, those signals come in handy. It may sound like a little of signals but it really works pretty well and it is unobtrusive.

If both wings have three on their side of the field plus the center, you have 7 on the line. Then I have a quick check of my backs/eligibles, and we're good to go.

One other thing going back to wingman responsibilities. Your responsibility for action on the line stops with the center too. Anything past the center is the official on the other side. So if you have encroachment or false start past the center, that is the other wing officials call. You can come in and help out but those calls should be left to the wing on the other side.

Hope that helps! If you have any questions email me and I can pass on some other tips I've come across.

The R and U should be counting the offense. If you can pick up on their signal you'll know when you have 11. If you know there are 11 on the field and you can count 4 in the backfield you know that the other 7 are on the line.

I agree with grantsrc in principle about the center being the dividing line. But if you are not getting very good communications from your fellow wingman, momontarily step accross the neutral zone to get a better angle and to make sure there is enough on the other side. If there are three on your side of the center and two on the other side of the center and the wingman does not have his end punched off - give them 7. But never throw illegal formation flag because you think the end on the other side was off the line. Talk to your wingman at half time.

count your players in the back field, should be four. If there is five, there's your first problem. Then once the whistle is blown, someone tells you there's 7 on the line, then there's 12 men on the field. I agree, this is hard for the wings to see. I also look at my other wing man, if he has one punched off the line, and I do to, good indication to count.

Oops. I misunderstood. After reading the title, I thought this thread was something about us umpires meeting down at Hooter's after the game.

That is great. I will use that as my opening in pregame tonight.