6 man mechanics

[Texas Aggie]

What is your opinion of the 6 man system? Is anyone using it?

The reason I ask is that due to the evolution of the passing game in Texas, the topic of number of officials is starting to come up. We work 5 man in most, if not all, HS varsity contests (11 players) and many subvarsity (JV mostly; some frosh) in Texas. Now, I'm hearing that coaches are starting to wonder if adding one or two officials would be a good idea.

I seriously doubt we will go to 7 man anytime soon. That leaves 6 man that I've heard (I have no experience with it) has some gaps in downfield coverage.

[jjrye22]

We use 5, 6, and 7 man mechanics (depending on availability and level of the game), and the general feeling with experiences officials is that we would rather do a game with 5 man mechanics than 6.

Problem with the 6 man mechanics is there is no support for boxing in deep in the middle of the field. We find there is more uncertain about possible fouls, and the dead ball coverage is not quite as present.

But some people prefer having the extra man... I think you will basically have to try it out, but we don't really like it that much.

James

[Sonofanump]

I agree that the middle of field might be void without a backjudge. But you are at the most 27 yards from the nearest official.

I disagree on deadball officiating, accordian in like you would with 5 or 7 man. Sideline deadball coverage is much easier with 6 man.

http://www.ecac.org/uploadedFiles/Of.../6man82506.pdf

Try this site out for mechanics. ^^^^^

[Theisey]

6-man will work out just fine. Its drawbacks are far overblown. Give me a 6 man any time over a 5-man game. We still use it in many Diii college games without any issues. 7-man will probably take over in two seasons.

Try working high school games with 4-man . Now that is just plain awful.

[grantsrc]

I've heard of some people that work a modified 6 man with one or both deep wings off the sidelines and on the field, between the numbers and the hashes I believe. I've never seen it in person or anything in writing about it, but it does limit the "dead space" in the middle.

[Theisey]

Originally Posted by grantsrc

I've heard of some people that work a modified 6 man with one or both deep wings off the sidelines and on the field, between the numbers and the hashes I believe. I've never seen it in person or anything in writing about it, but it does limit the "dead space" in the middle.

We "used" to do that (ECAC/CCA mechanics) but of few years ago the manuals were re-written to keep us off the field at the start of a play. That does not imply that the S/F never go on to the field as the play goes to the opposite side as in fact we do.

[Ed Hickland]

Try working high school games with 4-man . Now that is just plain awful.

Love to hear the stories about 5 and 6 man mechanics. Us poor suffering souls on Long Island still do it with four.

[michaelpr]

we use six man in georgia. it is easier than five or four to me. if you know the proper mechanics, you have no toubles, and it is less running. i have used seven in college. we will probably start using it in high school in a couple of years.

[ChickenOfNC]

Originally Posted by Ed Hickland

Love to hear the stories about 5 and 6 man mechanics. Us poor suffering souls on Long Island still do it with four.

God bless you.

Our BJ went down in the 2nd qtr of a varsity game 2 years ago. So of course, both teams decide they're going to play Spurrier ball in the second half. Being a wing, that was not fun.

[The Roamin' Umpire]

Originally Posted by Ed Hickland

Love to hear the stories about 5 and 6 man mechanics. Us poor suffering souls on Long Island still do it with four.

In fact, I believe that's most, if not all, of NY. Certainly that's what we've got up here around Albany, and it sounds like Theisey might have the same a bit downstate from us.

[Theisey]

As far as I know, only Section-I uses 5 officials on a regular basis. I'm in section-IX and it's a rarity to have a school request that additional official.

[RMR]

Originally Posted by grantsrc

I've heard of some people that work a modified 6 man with one or both deep wings off the sidelines and on the field, between the numbers and the hashes I believe. I've never seen it in person or anything in writing about it, but it does limit the "dead space" in the middle.

That is how we work 6 man in Louisiana. You are right, it limits deadspace in the middle BUT it also makes the wings work far harder than they should have to with the additional coverage and as you get to the goal line, it leave the pylons uncovered. It also puts you in the way of play and it is far too easy to get trapped inside.

Here is our 6 man mechanics manual:

http://www.lhsaa.org/officials/manuals/6ManFBManual.pdf

[Theisey]

Why-0-why would you ever line up between the numbers and the inbounds lines?
That's just asking for troubles.

Even with the old mechanics when we did line up per CCA/ECAC mechanics at that time, it was between the sidelines and the 9-yard marks and never ever closer than the outside shoulder of your key.

Then at the snap, the retreat path (as I recall) was backward and toward the sidelines if the play appears to be heading in your direction.
Pylon coverage was never a problem unless of course you did something stupid.
I don't buy in to the dead-space issue if the deep officials and wings do their job as a "team" but then again, maybe some officials just don't know how to work the mechanic correctly.
I still work 6-man NCAA games as a deep official and I see no problem with starting near or on the sidelines. There are plenty of passing teams and we've covered the plays without any issues.

[RMR]

Some of us have been fighting that mechanic for years and like our whitehat likes to say when we work 6 man, we disguise our coverage.

He has us work it pretty much like you just described.

Hopefully our supervisor will be retiring soon and the mechanic can be modified.

[STEVED21]

Originally Posted by Theisey

As far as I know, only Section-I uses 5 officials on a regular basis. I'm in section-IX and it's a rarity to have a school request that additional official.

Yes. Section 1 had 5-man crews in almost 50% of the Westchester games last year. The number has been growing each year.