Being A Back Judge

[Ed Hickland]

Having never been a back judge, I am interested in hearing from those who have worked the position on what to expect.

[FredFan7]

I'm a backjudge on a five man crew and I love it!

You are out in the middle of the field, you can talk out loud to yourself and people won't think you're crazy. I always say to myself the down and distance, who my key is, etc.

The B is should be the EXPERT on kicking rules! On punts it's all you (with some help from the LJ in a five man crew). If white is punting, and red is receiving, I say to myself before the snap, "First touching white, hot potato red." That reminds me that if white touches it first, we have a first-touching situation, and if red touches first it we have a live ball! On punts hold your beanbag in your hand and hold your whistle in your other hand. Bag the catch/touching/etc. If you have a foul, you can get your flag in plenty of time. HOLD YOUR WHISTLE. I killed a muff and denied a kicking team recovery one time after the receiver signalled a fair catch and I hit the whistle when it touched the ball, then muffed it. I have never done that again.

On kickoffs ask the kicker if he plans to kick it deep or onside. Develop a DISCREET signal you can use with your fellow officials to tip them off to an onside kick. That question helped our crew cover a suprise onside kick to start the second half of a game one time. If you don't want to develop a crew signal, at least YOU will know it's coming.

Participate in dead ball action. Relay the ball in on gains over five yards. If a run goes to a side zone, pinch toward that side zone (but don't get burned if the runner cuts to the middle), and help clean up dead ball action. The B's head should be on a swivel after the ball is dead looking for nonsense. The B can best spot trouble and clean it up, or flag it if necessary. If a play goes out of bounds hustle over to the sideline (especially if in the bench area) and help observe. You may go out of bounds yourself or cover the wing's spot while he wades into the bench area. Discuss this with your crew. A good B can really help of keeping a situation under control.

I line up 20 yards deep (sometimes deeper depending on the situation) and start moving back at the snap, even if its a running play. I'm not the fastest guy in the world and I don't want to get beaten to the goal-line! This may require you to pivot and turn your head over your shoulder. I've seen college and NFL deep officials do this.

Some guys say the B is in a rocking chair all game, but you can make this position an active and integral part of any crew and any level of play.

[Theisey]

Don't be beat to the goal line.
Working on back pedling and once a pass is in the air, move in that direction.
Recognize formations so you can pick out your snap-"Key"
Know the ins and outs of DPI and OPI.

Leave the coverage of the runner to the wings and watch the blocking. it opened my eyes a few times as to why the wing failed to see the illegal block.

Get a good easy to set and read timeclock to time the 25 seconds and timeouts.

[Mike L]

The stuff above is good. I would add...
1) you cannot let any receiver get behind you, even if the play looks like a run. That means you have to develop a "feel" for where they all are and focus on the deep routes if there are any. Once the ball is in the air, focus on the players in the area it will likely go.
2) don't lose that 20 yd cushion until you know the play is dead. Moving up too early is when the runner breaks from the pile and takes off. Besides, your responsibility is the wide view around the pile, so stay back.
3) stay inside the hash marks until you know the play is dead. Again, you have wide view around the pile. It does mean you have to bust in quick if you have to help in the side zone, but that's part of the fun of BJ.
4) any flag you throw is going to be big, so make sure the "foul" you see is really there and big. And remember, not all contact is PI and not all contact is the defense's fault.

[waltjp]

I worked as a U for the past few years. I don't know what our BJ did between the RFP and the end of the play but I can say he was super when the play ended in the side zone. He'd close in and get the ball from the wing official and then relay it to me. It really helped keep the game moving and I think it helped us look crisp.

[jaybird]

I am a H and I can tell you that our B was great when it came to plays ending in a side zone or OOB. He would be there almost as soon as the play ended and help with ball relay or seperating guys on the sideline/team area.

We have a system where the B counts the defense with the wing official whose team is on defense. This worked well. We also do not chase down footballs from incomplete passes in the deep side zones. The L or H will get a new ball relayed in and have the ballboy(person) retrieve the loose ball.

This "rocking chair" position can be physically demanding, especially with all the passing that teams try. Our B has shared with us more than once how tired/sore his legs would be but actually was not complaining as he didn't have to put up with near the crap that us sideline guys did. There were games where his biggest challenge was battling boredom.

[GBFBUmp]

Great Topic Ed. I too am switching to B next fall. I had one game last season in that position. I am used to the middle of the field as an umpire ( I await the jokes about an umpire being able to move as a B), but I will have some huge shoes to fill of the official who was our back judge.

WI requires the last 5 seconds of the play clock to be visibly counted as well.

In the one game I did last season, it took a while to get into the pace of relaying the ball. Kicking game was stressed in Pre-game as well.

Good luck in the new position.

[Forksref]

Originally Posted by GBFBUmp

I am used to the middle of the field as an umpire ( I await the jokes about an umpire being able to move as a B), but I will have some huge shoes to fill of the official who was our back judge.

Well, let's get started: In our area, replacing a wing or R means you will be filling huge shoes. Replacing the U means you will be filling huge knickers!

But, in all seriousness, our association has moved in some younger guys who are not the stereotypical U. Our best one, who did several playoff games is 5-8 and about 150 lbs. and my U is 6-4 and barely 200 lbs.

[GBFBUmp]

Originally Posted by Forksref

But, in all seriousness, our association has moved in some younger guys who are not the stereotypical U. .

Unfortunately, I am a stereotypical U. 6'3" -- 285. Fleet and nimble though

[Forksref]

Originally Posted by GBFBUmp

Unfortunately, I am a stereotypical U. 6'3" -- 285. Fleet and nimble though

Usually, the story is about a U who gets flattened during a game. You gotta love the U who causes TE's and linemen to bounce off them! Fleet and nimble on the pivot!

[GBFBUmp]

Originally Posted by Forksref

Usually, the story is about a U who gets flattened during a game. You gotta love the U who causes TE's and linemen to bounce off them! Fleet and nimble on the pivot!

I did get leveled once, 2 years ago. I wish I had video of it. TE across the middle, I was able to sidestep, then got popped by a back out of no where . Backward somersault right back onto my feet and upright. My R couldn't keep a straight face for the next 2 series. I sure will miss the U assignment. I am working on dropping my weight though so I can handle the B position.

[dldsooner]

[QUOTE=Forksref]Well, let's get started: In our area, replacing a wing or R means you will be filling huge shoes. Replacing the U means you will be filling huge knickers!

And I thought they put me at U for my knowledge of the game!

I too am a big guy, 6'1" 285#. And it is very seldom that I get knocked down, but it has happened, and I am sure it will happen again. That is just one of the joy's of being an Umpire.

The BJ on our crew is great, alway's in the correct position, alway's talking to let everyone know that he is there if the wings have their back turned, and he is alway's hustling to relay the ball if the play is dead and there is no one in his area that he has to watch.

In rural Oklahoma, there are very few countdown timers on the field, unless you are calling a large school. our BJ counts down from 10 with a side hand chop so that the Offense knows how much time they do have.

[Time2Ref]

Great, Great thread. As a BJ, this is good stuff for me.

My advice? Start working out NOW! Being in position is EVERYTHING. If you are not in position, nothing else matters. Of course everything else matters too. So, "what they said".

In my mind, it's like I'm playing safety. I must figure out what the offense is doing before they do it. I must be patient and watch the play develop. Then I must get to where I need to be.

I love football.