How far do you go?

[The Roamin' Umpire]

'Round here senior officials tell us to say either "You're on the line." or "You're in the backfield." That way, there's no possibility for being misheard.

At anything below varsity, we'll move them sometimes. Varsity ends are on their own.

[Forksref]

When the receiver looks at me, I nod my head if he is in the right spot. If he is too far forward, I give a slight wave of my hand (with my arm down) to move him back. I will always nod if they ask either verbally or with a look at me. I will flag an interior lineman the first time (unless it's JHS level where I will help instruct), but I have never had to do it with someone on the outside. That's an unnecessary flag.

I might tell the coach, too, "Coach, your receiver is lining up in the neutral zone." Coaches appreciate that heads up. If you don't get a correction, then you can flag it, since you tried the preventative route first.

[Bob M.]

REPLY: I would never say or do anything that could be implied as telling the player to move. I might say (to no one in particular) "Watch where you're lining up" or "Number 12 is on the line" or something like that. But I'd never wave a player back or explicitly tell him to move for fear that the snap might occur as he's moving and then I could be accused of causing hiim to foul.

Most of the varsity players around here--at least for the first few series--will come out and either point toward the line or into the backfield to let me know where they're supposed to be lining up. If they're out of whack, I'll say "Number 22 is in the backfield" to let him know he hasn't made it to the LOS. I also will put my upfield foot on the line and tell them "Here's the line." Then it's up to them.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally posted by ref18
If they're on the line or within the vicinity of the line

Why do you need to direct them in if they're aleady there?

What is the vicinity? 1 yard? 2 yards? 1.5 feet?Whatever feels comfortable that day?

Originally posted by ref18
and my umpire points out that I need an end, and they put their hand up to signal that they're that end, then I have no problem assuming that they should be on the line and I will try to direct them in.

Many times a wide out already has his hand up before he enters an area of the field where he's legally considered to be on the LS. Do you direct him then because the U has his arm up to your side? If the player goes up on his own all game do you still direct him up?

Originally posted by ref18
If I know there's a TE then I won't bother with them, unless they're standing in the NZ.

You've got me all confused with your methods.

[SouthGARef]

Originally posted by jrfath
It is very important to read the formation to make the formation right, no matter what the level.

If a WR is not quite breaking the plan of the waist of the nearest player on the line...but by reading the formation you know he is supposed to be on the line, just put him on, and tell him after the play to be sure to get up to the line if that is where he is supposed to line up. He is gaining no advantage being 6 inches in the backfield. If the receiver is from the team on your sideline, turn around and tell the coach too, and then he can take care of it.

Myself as a linesman, I give them my backfield foot as a reference to where he needs to line up if he is on the line. I point to it when he breaks the huddle, telling him "here is your line of scrimmage". If he lines up close to it, I tell him "you are on the line". If he does not, I tell him "you are off the line."

Try to avoid "you are good", b/c your 'good' may be different than the receiver's 'good'.

Just let him know if he is on or off, and the receiver can take it from there.

Excellent post! That's exactly what wing officials do here in South Georgia.

[WhistlesAndStripes]

Originally posted by Biscuit
But what if he doesn't get set at all. While you are moving him up, back, whatever, the ball is snapped and the coach on your sideline is wanting something called?

Originally posted by schmitty1973
I agree with biscuit. What if he's moving back because you told him and then the other coach complains?

If he's still moving when the snap went off and it's cause I was tellin him to move and the coach starts lookin for somethin, I'm gonna tell the coach that I was still movin him, and I'll do the samething for his players too. As long as you're consistent with both sides, it really ain't that big a deal I don't think.

[GBFBUmp]

Typically at ump spot, but when I do the wings I am not prone to giving any advice other than " My feet are the lines." I, as others have mentioned, don't know where the kid intends to line up, so I don't want to give advice as where he should be. At lower levels, I do give a quick mention to the kids that look lost and just say that my feet are straddling the ball, the foot closest to him is his los, and that usually takes care of it.

[Warrenkicker]

Last Friday both teams were very good in both asking for help correctly and also informing me of where they were trying to line up. On one play the wide guy to my side came out and said that he was "off" and I confirmed back to him that he was "off". There was also a slot inside of him who never checked his position and was also off. So the tackle is uncovered now. HL has 3 on his side and I have 2 on my side so we flag them for illegal formation. After we mark off the penalty, A comes back to the line for the next play. Same guy comes out to my side to line up. He says to me, "I guess I am supposed to be on." I almost laughed but replied that he was "on" now. I guess even when they ask the question correctly and we give them the right answer they may still have it wrong because they just didn't know where they were going in the first place.

[wisref2]

Our wings make sure their wideouts know what our signals mean, and we use "you're on the line" or "you're off the line."

A wide out once asked by linesman, "Am I good." My linesman replied "I think you are, but your coach (who was standing right behind him) doesn't." Got a huge laugh from everyone.

[WyMike]

1) Tap backfield leg to indicate LOS, "I got the line here."

2) Punchback signal to indicate to my wingmate I have the nearest player to me off the line. "I got you off the line" when WO looks to me for guidance

or

3)"I got you on the line" along with a nod if he looks my way, with no signal to my wingman.

If WO is in NZ, a hard "You're in the zone!" seems to work well.

JH to Soph I will wave them back and forth if they're confused and mention something to the OC/HC, "Coach, you're WO's need help lining up"

WM

[WhistlesAndStripes]

Here's a situation I had this weekend:

WR comes out and lines up. There was also a Tight End on the play. I recognized the formation from previously in the game, and was pretty sure the WR was supposed to be Off the line. I said to him, "If you're off the line, take another step back." He never moved. TE went out for a pass. I threw the flag for ineligible downfield. WR got reamed by the coaching staff. Coach that was right beside me said to me, "You didn't even have to talk to him about that. Just throw the flag next time." He didn't have a problem with me flagging it at all. I did explain to him that it's not my goal to throw the flag everytime, I'd rather help the kid get lined up right.

[JDLJ]

I probably went too far Friday night but it's early in the season. When the ready for play was delayed slightly and the wide receive came out past the numbers/tic marks, I chased them back in until the ready for play sounded. I did this a few times for both teams and the wide outs finally caught on. I never had to flag it and maybe now no one else will have to flag these guys this year.

[WyMike]

Originally posted by JDLJ
I probably went too far Friday night but it's early in the season. When the ready for play was delayed slightly and the wide receive came out past the numbers/tic marks, I chased them back in until the ready for play sounded. I did this a few times for both teams and the wide outs finally caught on. I never had to flag it and maybe now no one else will have to flag these guys this year.

Are you referring to 7.2.1 where A players need to be within the 9yd mark? If you are, I'd have a tough time tossing an IF flag if they came out of the huddle and R delayed the RFP for an equipment repair or something.

Even if I "chased" them back in I doubt they'd "catch on" to it. Most are fixated on having you tell them if they are on or off the LOS!

WM

[BigRygg]

While working chain crew this year, I've seen the following techniques:

The receivers would come out talking to the wingmen, telling them "I'm on the line" or "I'm off the line." The official (both sides of the field) would then help them out if need be.

Also, when the receiver would look over, the officials simply would hold up their backfield arm straight toward the ball (indicating "on the line") or parallel with the sideline toward the backfield (indicating "off the line"). Granted, this also is for their counterpart on the other side of the field to read, but the kids knew how to read it as well.

If the kids didn't see what they liked, they moved themselves until the officials changed their arm position.

[cowbyfan1]

If the player is telling you he is on or off, get him there. I always ask. If they ignore me then I read where they are at. If they misalign then it is their problem.

As a WH I tell my wings to find out where the players are supposed to be and get them there. I hate 6 on the line fouls as I feel they are 99% preventable. If I am on a wing and I put a player in a spot then I will not hold it against him which is basically what you did Biscuit. The way I read your post, you stick a foot out and say line is here and then player lines up on that and then you flag him for it. I'd bet my house that kid told his coach that he went where you told him to go. Make it obvious to the kid. NFL officials do it, why not you.