The Official Forum  

Go Back   The Official Forum > Football

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Rate Thread Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old Sat Apr 14, 2007, 12:49pm
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 179
Experimental NFL Europe mechanics?

I just flipped over to an NFL Europe game on the NFL Network...it looks like they are experimenting with some different mechanics. Namely, moving the U behind the line of scrimmage opposite the R (except on scrimmage kick plays). Anyone else noticed this? Or has this been around in NFL Europe for a while and I just haven't noticed it?
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old Sat Apr 14, 2007, 04:37pm
Do not give a damn!!
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: On the border
Posts: 30,463
It does look like that.

Peace
__________________
Let us get into "Good Trouble."
-----------------------------------------------------------
Charles Michael “Mick” Chambers (1947-2010)
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old Sat Apr 14, 2007, 06:15pm
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,875
Quote:
Originally Posted by bigwes68
I just flipped over to an NFL Europe game on the NFL Network...it looks like they are experimenting with some different mechanics. Namely, moving the U behind the line of scrimmage opposite the R (except on scrimmage kick plays). Anyone else noticed this? Or has this been around in NFL Europe for a while and I just haven't noticed it?
Have they given a reason? Or do they just want to encourage holding & not admit it?
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old Sat Apr 14, 2007, 07:31pm
Do not give a damn!!
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: On the border
Posts: 30,463
Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Goodman
Have they given a reason? Or do they just want to encourage holding & not admit it?
The reasoning is based on the fact that some feel it would be safer to have an official in the backfield rather than in harms way with passing routes and a ball carrier running directly at them. I guess the idea it that they can see holding or other infractions from the same position that the referee can. After all this is an experiment because I know of nothing that has anything to do with encouraging holding. This was to avoid official injury and keep them out of direct line of play.

Peace
__________________
Let us get into "Good Trouble."
-----------------------------------------------------------
Charles Michael “Mick” Chambers (1947-2010)
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old Sun Apr 15, 2007, 09:20pm
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 618
Send a message via MSN to grantsrc
Safety is the main reason. Also, haven't seen it yet but are the U's wearing a helmet yet? There is a REALLY good chance that NFL umpires will be wearing some kind of headgear. The NFL had 5 or 6 different styles of headgear for the NFL umpires to look at and the feedback I got from one guy that saw them said they looked pretty good and he is looking forward to seeing what the final decision is.
__________________
Check out my football officials resource page at
http://resources.refstripes.com
If you have a file you would like me to add, email me and I will get it posted.
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old Sat Apr 21, 2007, 11:20am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Lincoln Co, Missouri
Posts: 823
I too caught some of the first part of the game while channel surfing...and they had explained it was mainly because of the safety factor. However one thing I noticed was how weird it was not seeing the U at the end of the play and how long it took to for him (or someone else) to run up and spot the ball...I wonder what kind of impact that will have in hurry up situations?
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old Sat Apr 21, 2007, 06:47pm
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Fort Myers FL
Posts: 600
How do they cover the spot of illegal forward passes past the LOS and
other related umpire mechanics like ineligibles downfield if the U
in the the offensive backfield ?
I think it is a poor idea.
Every official is at risk, and most umpires love the perspective of
the game that they have with offenses coming towards them.
Just this old U of 37 seasons sayin' !
__________________
Keep everything in front of you
and have fun out there !!
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old Sat Apr 21, 2007, 09:42pm
Do not give a damn!!
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: On the border
Posts: 30,463
Quote:
Originally Posted by SWFLguy
How do they cover the spot of illegal forward passes past the LOS and
other related umpire mechanics like ineligibles downfield if the U
in the the offensive backfield ?
I think it is a poor idea.
Every official is at risk, and most umpires love the perspective of
the game that they have with offenses coming towards them.
Just this old U of 37 seasons sayin' !
I would think that the wings would have to catch the ineligibles downfield and illegal forward passes which I think already happen in 7 man mechanics. I think the wings already do this in that mechanics set. Not to say I agree with the change, I am just saying.

Peace
__________________
Let us get into "Good Trouble."
-----------------------------------------------------------
Charles Michael “Mick” Chambers (1947-2010)
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old Sun Apr 22, 2007, 08:05am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,875
Quote:
Originally Posted by eyezen
I too caught some of the first part of the game while channel surfing...and they had explained it was mainly because of the safety factor. However one thing I noticed was how weird it was not seeing the U at the end of the play and how long it took to for him (or someone else) to run up and spot the ball...I wonder what kind of impact that will have in hurry up situations?
It was only a few years ago that they reassigned that task from R to U.

Recently I viewed some film from the 1940s in which 3-man mechanics was used. On some scrimmage downs the U started in a wing position, and as or before the ball was snapped (sometimes as the OL got into 3-pt), moved toward the present U's position. In others the U started in the present position.

Robert
Reply With Quote
  #10 (permalink)  
Old Wed Apr 25, 2007, 06:17pm
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 264
Send a message via AIM to BigGref
As a varsity U I have not been knocked down in 3 years, a lot of close calls though. The only time I was down was when I voluntarily went chest first to the ground when my feet got tangled and the QB and rusher were coming at me fast (as Referee in Flag football) they jumped over me and then I jumped up quick like a grass cutter . I am rather large (yes, I do perpetuate the large umpire stereotype) and have knocked down more than a few people, but knowing where to go and when is the issue, so I think others will just have to learn.

This sounds too weird! half of the reason of an umpire is in the defensive backfield is to help control the trenches, and be right on top of the ball when it comes down to prevent extracurricular activities; being 3-4 seconds away on a 5-10 yd rush down the middle could be a greenlight for extras!
Reply With Quote
  #11 (permalink)  
Old Thu Apr 26, 2007, 08:43am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Clinton Township, NJ
Posts: 2,065
REPLY: I agree with BigGref's opinion that the value of the umpire's 'traditional' positioning is not that obvious during the play, but rather after the play has concluded. The faster an official can get to a pile, the less likely something untoward will occur. When the players know that an official is close by ("OK guys, it's over"), they are not as likely to get into it with an opponent.
__________________
Bob M.
Reply With Quote
  #12 (permalink)  
Old Thu Apr 26, 2007, 09:13am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Montgomery Alabama
Posts: 60
The umpires will still be responsible for getting to the pile, however I do agree that they will be a step or two slower getting there than they were in the past. And the step or two may be all that it takes to get something going. We'll see how it works.
Reply With Quote
  #13 (permalink)  
Old Thu Apr 26, 2007, 02:17pm
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: N.D.
Posts: 1,829
I could have used a helmet when I got knocked down a couple of times in college games as the BJ. Overzealous d-backs are not to be messed with! Stay away from the pile. As for the U wearing a helmet, if it ever gets to the HS level, they'll be issuing skirts!

"Quarterbacks should wear dresses." - Steelers linebacker Jack Lambert
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
NCAA-W Experimental Mechanics rockyroad Basketball 16 Thu May 04, 2006 07:55am
Europe Indoor Cup DNTXUM P Softball 3 Mon Jan 02, 2006 09:07pm
Experimental Rules in the NIT Nevadaref Basketball 5 Wed Mar 17, 2004 10:45am
Experimental Rule--Update JRutledge Basketball 10 Fri Dec 28, 2001 04:11pm
Experimental Rules, Exempt Tournaments Alaska Ref Basketball 4 Thu Nov 09, 2000 12:11pm


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:00am.



Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.3.0 RC1