What's with "reporting"?

[Rich]

I could just scream. I've had this come up 3 times in 2 weeks.

Subvarsity coach wants to use a noneligible number in the backfield. The player comes up to me and "reports as eligible." I say, sorry, can't be eligible.....by number. Coach calls a time out just to talk to me about this.

I explained the rule. The coach swears that another crew flagged him for "not reporting." This wouldn't surprise me around here, to be honest. After a while, the coach also finally learned that "eligible" is not the word to use when you want to hand the ball to the runner.

I swear, the next time this happens, I'm just going to pretend to turn on a microphone and report number 78 eligible. Then I'm going to start flexing like Ed Hochuli.

Oh, I almost forgot. Last night (before a varsity game) an assistant coach asked me if 52 could line up in the backfield. Then he asked if 52 could catch a screen pass behind the line of scrimmage.

Oy.

[OverAndBack]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

I could just scream. I've had this come up 3 times in 2 weeks.

Subvarsity coach wants to use a noneligible number in the backfield. The player comes up to me and "reports as eligible." I say, sorry, can't be eligible.....by number. Coach calls a time out just to talk to me about this.

I actually had a coach in a sophomore game this year put a noneligible number in the backfield.

But then the WH announced to everybody that "56 is eligible."

[Mike L]

Heck, I had to explain to a JV coach that even though the other guys "punted" the ball on a free kick after a safety that it's still a free kick. He was kinda upset I gave the ball to the kickers after he told all his guys to "get away from it". He just kept repeating "but they punted it!"

[Smiley]

In a Middle School playoff game last night, the visiting team had only 13 players. On their first offensive snap, I noticed they only had three players numbered 50-79 on the line. I flagged them and the defense declined the penalty. Then I went over to explain to the visiting coach who was hollering, "we don't have any more lineman numbers." As I approached his sideline, it was readily apparent he was correct, since the two on the sideline were 80 and 5. I then spoke to the home coach, who said he was OK with letting them play, so we just pretended the scrimmage kick numbering exception was in effect on all offensive plays by the visiting team.

The visiting coach claimed they had played all year that way, and nobody ever flagged them.

[Bob M.]

"I actually had a coach in a sophomore game this year put a noneligible number in the backfield." This isn't too scary.

"But then the WH announced to everybody that '56 is eligible.' " This is!

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by Smiley

In a Middle School playoff game last night, the visiting team had only 13 players. On their first offensive snap, I noticed they only had three players numbered 50-79 on the line. I flagged them and the defense declined the penalty. Then I went over to explain to the visiting coach who was hollering, "we don't have any more lineman numbers." As I approached his sideline, it was readily apparent he was correct, since the two on the sideline were 80 and 5. I then spoke to the home coach, who said he was OK with letting them play, so we just pretended the scrimmage kick numbering exception was in effect on all offensive plays by the visiting team.

The visiting coach claimed they had played all year that way, and nobody ever flagged them.

In a lot of areas, at subvarsity, the numbering rules are extremely relaxed, or even ignored altogether.

[tnzebra]

Originally Posted by mcrowder

In a lot of areas, at subvarsity, the numbering rules are extremely relaxed, or even ignored altogether.

Agreed.... Varsity only on numbering exception.

[kd0254]

Agreed, Where I am for any subvarsity contest eligibilty is by position only and there are no numbering requirements. It really just makes things easier for everyone. (Except the U who was trying to remember if #22 was the wingback or the right gaurd).

[OverAndBack]

See, that's what my thought was, then I was told that "around here" we treat sophomore games as varsity games, and since I haven't been a WH at the freshman/JV level, I haven't had to be the final arbiter on when it's happened in those level games.

Junior high games (of which I do a lot), we don't sweat it.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by mcrowder

In a lot of areas, at subvarsity, the numbering rules are extremely relaxed, or even ignored altogether.

It's not that way everywhere.

[Trap]

I think there are parts of the country where there are numbers of player shortages. I've seen games where they move a guard in the backfield or a lineman becomes a tight end. Everyone knows they are not elidgible for passes, since usually on these teams 95% of the plays are running plays, its not much of an issue.

[FootballRef05]

A JV games lest week, 79 lines up at QB, the WH is a newer official, maybe his 5 game in that position threw the flag. I was the U, He came to me after the play and said, "79 was lines up as the QB" I said OK, what the flag for? He turned around and waived it and stick it back in his pants....

We were instructed again this year that the numbering is in effect for ALL high school level games regardless of the level of play.

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

It's not that way everywhere.

I know. I put "In most areas" on purpose.

[grantsrc]

Originally Posted by Smiley

In a Middle School playoff game last night, the visiting team had only 13 players. On their first offensive snap, I noticed they only had three players numbered 50-79 on the line. I flagged them and the defense declined the penalty. Then I went over to explain to the visiting coach who was hollering, "we don't have any more lineman numbers." As I approached his sideline, it was readily apparent he was correct, since the two on the sideline were 80 and 5. I then spoke to the home coach, who said he was OK with letting them play, so we just pretended the scrimmage kick numbering exception was in effect on all offensive plays by the visiting team.

The visiting coach claimed they had played all year that way, and nobody ever flagged them.

JMHO, I would let something like this slide for MS games, BUT I would certainly talk with the coach and remind him that this should be addressed. We have a hard enough time remember everything, let alone the numbers of the eligibles when wearing non-eligible numbers. Now when it gets to Sophomores and JV, they should be aware of this, should is the operative word. Heck, I've had a JV college game with a tackle wearing 90. Now that I think about it, same thing in a varsity college game. Heck, maybe they will never get it right.

[Uncle Ernie]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

I swear, the next time this happens, I'm just going to pretend to turn on a microphone and report number 78 eligible. Then I'm going to start flexing like Ed Hochuli.
Oy.

Rich, you still crack me up...Been awhile since I been here.