Field Goal Responsibilities

[bisonlj]

The mechanics books very clearly states that the proper mechanic is for the wing official to the back of the R covers one upright and the other is covered by the BJ. It also now states this is the mechanic regardless of kick distance (used to allow for only the BJ on kicks snapped outside the 20 or 25. Anything else is going against the manual.

That being said, I prefer to have the LJ always cover an upright. Juggling back and forth can lead to delays. If you wait until the back of the R is facing you, it is already too late to get back without delaying the game. Even if both teams have RFK (most common), you still have to hesitate to remmber which end you have and which quarter you are in. If the LJ always has it then there is no hesitation.

Other comments about covering the chains/down box are also valid. This official is then always working the LOS on kicks and can provide more consistency. I think the best mechanics always work to the most common expectation. In 8 years of officiating I think I can remember 2 or 3 kicks that resulted in challenging my LJ sideline so to have a difficult mechanic to handle something that happens less than 1% of the time is not worthwhile.

For those of you with the U going back to the upright I hope you reconsider it quickly. There is too much the U has to watch on scrimmage kicks that will be lost as soon as he has to look up to the upright. Nobody else has the ability to watch the stuff the U normally has a on a scrimmage kick and this will lead to problems.

[NoAlaUmp]

Originally Posted by bisonlj

For those of you with the U going back to the upright I hope you reconsider it quickly. There is too much the U has to watch on scrimmage kicks that will be lost as soon as he has to look up to the upright. Nobody else has the ability to watch the stuff the U normally has a on a scrimmage kick and this will lead to problems.

After much gnashing of teeth at State Camp 2 weeks ago, Alabama has gone back the way it was done last year:: LJ goes under w/ the BJ. For a day or so, it was the U if the play began on or inside the 10 yard line, and the LJ if outside the 10. The confusion was too much evidently, and 2 days after camp, it changed back to last year's mechanic.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by NoAlaUmp

After much gnashing of teeth at State Camp 2 weeks ago, Alabama has gone back the way it was done last year:: LJ goes under w/ the BJ. For a day or so, it was the U if the play began on or inside the 10 yard line, and the LJ if outside the 10. The confusion was too much evidently, and 2 days after camp, it changed back to last year's mechanic.

What was the confusion, which 10 yard line they were talking about?

[Rich]

Originally Posted by bisonlj

The mechanics books very clearly states that the proper mechanic is for the wing official to the back of the R covers one upright and the other is covered by the BJ. It also now states this is the mechanic regardless of kick distance (used to allow for only the BJ on kicks snapped outside the 20 or 25. Anything else is going against the manual.

That being said, I prefer to have the LJ always cover an upright. Juggling back and forth can lead to delays. If you wait until the back of the R is facing you, it is already too late to get back without delaying the game. Even if both teams have RFK (most common), you still have to hesitate to remmber which end you have and which quarter you are in. If the LJ always has it then there is no hesitation.

Other comments about covering the chains/down box are also valid. This official is then always working the LOS on kicks and can provide more consistency. I think the best mechanics always work to the most common expectation. In 8 years of officiating I think I can remember 2 or 3 kicks that resulted in challenging my LJ sideline so to have a difficult mechanic to handle something that happens less than 1% of the time is not worthwhile.

For those of you with the U going back to the upright I hope you reconsider it quickly. There is too much the U has to watch on scrimmage kicks that will be lost as soon as he has to look up to the upright. Nobody else has the ability to watch the stuff the U normally has a on a scrimmage kick and this will lead to problems.

State are free to do what they want in terms of mechanics, but I have yet to see a good reason why deviating from the NFHS current way of doing things is worse than any of the alternatives. The only one I can see is "the L isn't there to instruct the chains / down box" but if needed, the referee can handle that in this one situation.

My crew put into effect the change right from the beginning of last season with the "butt-side" official going under.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

State are free to do what they want in terms of mechanics, but I have yet to see a good reason why deviating from the NFHS current way of doing things is worse than any of the alternatives. The only one I can see is "the L isn't there to instruct the chains / down box" but if needed, the referee can handle that in this one situation.

My crew put into effect the change right from the beginning of last season with the "butt-side" official going under.

I learned recently that Ohio differs from FED on kicking positions, and that the state lost their seat on FED's rule committee as a result of sticking to their guns.

Sounds like some egos in play to me.

[Mike L]

I'm wondering what the R mechanic is if the kick does go to hell. Is he supposed to get to the sideline that's behind him since that line guy is gone? Or is he allowing the play to go past him like any other run and then following? I have no idea what the NFHS book says, since we don't use it around here.