The U's are in the offensive backfield

[MJT]

The U's are in the offensive backfield for weeks one and three in the NFL preseason. Watching tonights game, it looks as if they go back to normal when the ball is snapped inside the 5 yard line.

It will be interesting to hear what they think of it after the week is completed. If they go there next year I bet the NCAA would follow one or two years later at the longest.

[jaybird]

Let's just hope HS doesn't follow. Too many HS Umpires don't move well enough and couldn't keep up. On top of that, they would be more noticable out in the open and it wouldn't look good when they slip that Snickers out of their pocket and sneak a bite!

[dvasques]

I hate it that we don't get preseason games in Brasil. Nor college games

Only NFL and even at that, mostly sunday and monday night games only

[Texas Aggie]

Who's got the LOS on a pass thrown at or just beyond the NZ?

[MJT]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

Who's got the LOS on a pass thrown at or just beyond the NZ?

L has LOS and ineligibles downfield.

I don't think it would filter down to HS, 5-man crews. The coverage with a 5 man crew may not be complete enough. Plus, they are doing it mainly for safety and obviously most HS players are not near as fast as NCAA or NFL players.

I do know they are also having the U go back to regular position at the 2 minute warning. This is so when a team goes into the hurry up offense mode, the officials can also speed up in getting the dead ball back and spotted, which they do a great job of.

Also, mechanics wise the U has opposite-side tackle, guard, center, and guard and the R has the tackle on the opposite side of his position and is responsible for the QB.

In last nights Indy/Dallas game they had the U go to normal position inside the 5 yard line, but this must be a crew optional decision as it was not in their discussed mechanics.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by MJT

The U's are in the offensive backfield for weeks one and three in the NFL preseason. Watching tonights game, it looks as if they go back to normal when the ball is snapped inside the 5 yard line.

It will be interesting to hear what they think of it after the week is completed. If they go there next year I bet the NCAA would follow one or two years later at the longest.

Is it as good a position from which to see illegal use of hands on running plays, or in the middle on pass plays? Or grabbing the face mask or butt tackling?

Robert

[Bob M.]

REPLY: One of the places where I think the U might be missed: on curl patterns where a low pass is grabbed (or not) just before it strikes the ground and the wings are screened. The U has always been the one to save the bacon on that call.

I'll ask a friend of mine how they're handling that and get back to you.

[MJT]

I agree Bob, but I do think he can still help on pass plays since he will not have to watch the QB and can follow the ball. The only problem is having his vision blocked by the O and D linemen.

[dvasques]

Originally Posted by Bob M.

REPLY: One of the places where I think the U might be missed: on curl patterns where a low pass is grabbed (or not) just before it strikes the ground and the wings are screened. The U has always been the one to save the bacon on that call.

I'll ask a friend of mine how they're handling that and get back to you.

That's what I was going to ask... who's gonna rule over the area where the Umpire used to be. Only thought that crossed my mind would be to advance the back judge a little to cover that. But that would open a gap deep field

[Bob M.]

Originally Posted by dvasques

...Only thought that crossed my mind would be to advance the back judge a little to cover that. But that would open a gap deep field

REPLY: Don't think you're going to see that since he has deep responsibility and can't afford to get beat deep. Also, 99% of the time, he'd have a worse view of that curl pattern catch/trap than the wings.

[Zebra29]

When using this mechanic, the U can help, but the L might be most valuable in his position, holding the line of scrimmage. He should have a good angle on most of these. The exception being when the receiver is going away from him.