Bad decisions by players and/or coaches

[Bob M.]

REPLY: A state championship game some years ago. I was the line judge. Home team is leading by 4 points with about 30 seconds remaining in the game. It's their ball 4th and 10 from their own 12 yard line. They call time out. Coach visits the huddle in the middle of the field. As time out ends and he's running past me to the sideline, he has a brainstorm. He turns and yells back to his punter, "Run it through the endzone" to give up the safety and be able to free kick afterwards. Good thought. However, the punter apparently only heard the words "Run it..." and on the snap proceeds to run it forward where he gets stopped for no gain. Two plays later, the visitors take it on a sweep to my side into the end zone. They win the game and the state championship. You should have seen the stuff being thrown out of the stands. I almost got hit with a drumstick.