REPLY: Jim...first I have to admit that I'm a proponent of staying off the field at the snap and moving into the field only as the play develops, and never when the play is coming toward your sideline.

Secondly...don't you think that your quoted statement is a little over the top since I believe that RIRef's context was when the ball is live and action is moving into or through his side of the field? There are several Division 1 and NFL wing officials (almost all of them for that matter) who work their positions this way. I'd hardly call them 'marginal.' Of course, once the ball becomes dead, movement into the field is advised, often required.

Since the field is only 53 yards wide, what is it that you can see from 20 yards away that you can't see from 25 yards awy? Dang little, I'd offer. In fact, you can see more from 25 yards away simply because of the expanded view of your peripheral vision. And notice that DIv 1 and NFL officials don't even come into the dead ball spot unless the LTG or goal line is threatened. They only come in as far as necessary--never closer. Why? Because staying wide assists them in dead ball officiating. My choice...stay wide.

It has been my observation that NFL and NCAA officials on the line tend to work on the field, if only just barely. The downfield guys are the ones who work off the field. I've worked on the sidelines at NFL games for a long time and I know the HL are on the field almost 100% of the time.

Then again, they have better marked fields, better lighting, better passers and receivers and usually a more open offensive plan.

My comments were directed at an extreme statement from a younger official. I think we need to be less rigid in our thinking and less in awe of the NFL and be a bit more adaptable. I believe in staying wide too - just not too wide.

Part of the problem for wing officials is that they don't do a good job from the opening KO in keeping their sideline clear. There should only be three coaches in the first 2-yd zone and now with the restraining line, there should be no one in that zone between the 25 yd line and the end line. You should have room to work OOB on plays that come your way.

If you get hit from behind when you are on the field, it is your fault.

Thanks for the real-life lesson. I, too, have emailed it to my crew.

Mike, are you sure about those rule numbers? In my NFHS 2007 rule book, 9-1-5 doesn't exist and 9-2-2 deals with the runner grasping a teammate. I think you cited NCAA rules here and I'm looking for Fed support. 9-2-2- in NCAA is very clear, if they are in the restricted band you can us the SL. But 9-2-2 for NCAA deals with unfair tactics so I'm not sure which code you are citing.

For Fed, I've only found
9-4-2: No player or nonplayer shall intentionally contact an official
9-8-3: A nonplayer shall not be outside his team box unless to become a player or to return as a replaced player. A maximum of three coaches may be in the coaches' area.

I'm looking for rule support for a coach getting in my way while he is legally one of 3 coaches in his box and I'm working with my toes on the sideline. I'd love to have a rule that says if they don't get out of my way there is a foul, but I can't find rule support for it.

Paul

Jim, the wings in D1 games (accept the SEC) and the NFL never start on the field. They only come in at the end of the play, and then only usually if the money line (GL or LTG) is threatened. Watch the NFL games and they are on the white until the play is dead and then only come in for close spots on the LTG or GL. I'm watching Navy/Pitt right now and the H was just on the white then the snap was on the opposite hash.

I work R for varsity, but have worked H, L, S, and F in NCAA and work exclusively on the white. Once you get used to it, you will always do it and can see things better, especially the wide view for cheap crap and DB crap when the play goes away from you. I work the MS games at our school and usually work a wing and help out others working the R for practice and stay on the white even for 7th grade games.

Amen!!

I disagree that it happens from time to time - on the sideline at least. As U I have been mixed in as lead blocker or made the tackle (and had one or two passes brush me), but on the sideline I have NEVER ended up involved in a live play.

Staying on the sideline I have run into coaches a few times (their box should be a few feet behind mine!) which will get them a sideline warning if I evade them, or a 15 yard foul if I hit them. But I would rather be taken out by a coach on the sideline and miss the end of the play (which my teammates will help cover) than be the reason for the end of he play.

I guess partially it is just what you are trained/told to do, but with the speed of some of the players I don't want to be drifting in and on the numbers when a WR runs a reverse directly at me (addressing the issue when the play is going away from your side - it might come back).

But I think everyone should not be so adament about some things. If that is what the others do, and they and the assignors want it that way - then do it that way. Hopefully none of us gets injured from running into a coach, or being run into by a player. Stay healthy.

James

When I posted earlier about what we had been told in the meetings, I forgot to mention that we were told we could NOT issue a sideline warning or sideline interference as long as the coaches were in the coaches box (and there were 3 of them). That was the original problem that got the coaches riled up. It got to the point where the coaches were asking what part of the diagram (from the rule book) was missing, i.e., where's the official's box, is it in front of the coaches' box, etc.

Under what rule would you penalize a coach 15 yards for if you ran into him while he was legally in the coaches area, which compromises 50% of your sideline?