3 Man Mechanics

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by reff4e

Are any associations still working 3-man crews on youth and middle school games?

They do in the Big Apple Youth Football League.

If so, how do you set up for scrimmage plays?

Most of them operate with 2 wings (i.e. U on a wing) and the ref; others with ref, ump, and wing. I've seen one crew switch from 2 wings to wing & ump during a game in anticipation of more passing. Instead of moving forward on a pocket pass play, the U goes backwards.

The amount of passing dictates the demand for coverage. Lots of these teams hardly ever pass, so 3 man coverage isn't bad.

I have some film of college varsity games from the 1940s with 3 man crews. In some of them the U starts on a wing, then runs toward what we think of as U position in anticipation of the snap.

Robert

[MadCityRef]

IHSA has a powerpoint on 3-man mechanics. www.ihsa.org
Look under officials education on the main page. It uses the triangle version, but 2 wings and a WH works good too.

[JugglingReferee]

So imagine working on a field that is 52% bigger, has 24 players instead of 22, and I believe allows for the players to do more things while playing....

.... all with 3 officials!