KY/TN - extra linesman?
 

Gentlemen:

Watching the Kentucky/Tennessee game. A made FG sends this into OT if KY doesn't score a TD.

There is an official who is standing on the LOS, directly behind the top (of the screen) official but in front of the sticks. When the linesman releases he stays right on he LOS. No he is not part of the chain crew. He is in full referee uniform.

I'm not a football guy so curious what this position is....

Not sure myself, not being a college guy. I see he's still standing over there, starts every play right behing the HL. Looked like he may be doing some timing, but not sure why.

I believe that this is an alternate official, I have seen them on the field many times standing directly behind the HL. They usually just stand their, I don't believe that they throw a flag unless they are covering for someone (maybe for an pass beyond LOS?). I was watching a game yesterday where they just had their hands in their pockets the whole game. Sometimes I have seen them take an active role with the chain gang. Well that is my observation, someone from the college level have anything more to add.

That is the clock operator. In the SEC he works on the field and he is also the alternate in the case of an injury.

Thanks for the info, that's interesting to know.

RMR is correct. The clock operator is on the field with the TV comercial coordinator.

Is there an alt. time keeper? Say the time keeper had to sub in then who runs the clock?

I think it's a random guy from the stands. You know...the same place they get the officials from (according to the fans). ;)

Anyone know the technology they use to run the clock? You'd have to have a pretty long cord to go all the way up and down the sideline.

How come Major League Baseball can time commericials with a stop watch held by the second base umpire and it takes two idiots with airport style arm guards to stand out in the middle of the field with headsets in football? I mean, is this a waste of money or what?

All the officials have communication to the instant replay guy,,,how difficult is it to do the same with commericals?

And why call the teams out with 30 seconds left to stand around for 20 seconds and do nothing?

Absurd.

They all have communication to the instant replay guy? Really?

I would think (hope) they want to take the responsibility of the TV thing off the officials and put it on a member of the TV crew. Just because they maybe COULD do it doesn't mean I'd either (a) WANT them to do it if I was on the TV crew or ( b ) WANT to be bothered with it if I was officiating.

As someone who works in TV and officiates, I think this is the best scenario.

This is not rocket science...a guy in your ear tells you the commerical is over.

I would hope any official at that level could handle such simplicity.

If they need to sub the ECO in (this happened at LSU a few weeks ago - the L broke his leg) then the 25 sec. operator (provided by the school) moves to the game clock and the guy from the chain crew who is responsible for recording the penalties moves to the 25 sec. clock.

The H in my crew wound up on the 25 sec. like that in the game with the injured L.

That is exactly what they do. The ECO and the 25 move together and stay at the LOS and there is a manager that is assigned to them to handle the cable.

The ECO is also used to let the crew know if a pass was thrown from beyond the LOS for example.