Communication signal

[daggo66]

Why in the world would you need to signal that he is inbounds during the play? As soon as he goes out, you blow the whistle, face the sideline, and stop the clock. I can't possibly imagine how silly you would look running down the sideline with you arm extended.

[johnny1784]

Originally Posted by daggo66

Why in the world would you need to signal that he is inbounds during the play? As soon as he goes out, you blow the whistle, face the sideline, and stop the clock. I can't possibly imagine how silly you would look running down the sideline with you arm extended.

I thought the exact same thing but I missed a meeting and was told meeting advised officials to use it during a game. Maybe this game official misunderstood what was spoken at our associations meeting.

[OverAndBack]

That's odd. If you haven't signaled to stop the clock, it's pretty obvious he's in bounds.

[Warrenkicker]

On a play down the sideline that ends in the end zone we will provide a thumbs-up signal or something similar so BJ knows we don't have a spot down the sideline and he can signal TD. Of course the argument against that is that blowing the whistle and waving your arms is a very clear signal that the ball carrier went OOB. But BJ always waits for us to not kill the play prior to signaling TD. We don't use this signal the entire distance down the sideline, just at the point when the carrier enters the end zone.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Warrenkicker

On a play down the sideline that ends in the end zone we will provide a thumbs-up signal or something similar so BJ knows we don't have a spot down the sideline and he can signal TD. Of course the argument against that is that blowing the whistle and waving your arms is a very clear signal that the ball carrier went OOB. But BJ always waits for us to not kill the play prior to signaling TD. We don't use this signal the entire distance down the sideline, just at the point when the carrier enters the end zone.

Or the R, if it's a punt return, interception return, or fumble return. I always wait for a thumbs up from the wing.

[Bob M.]

REPLY: As for the original post, I've never seen or even heard of the use of such a signal. Like the others have said, no signal means he's inbounds near the sideline; a whistle and a timeout signal means he's out of bounds. I can't for the life of me understand the value of such a signal.

[ajmc]

I would think the deep official (BJ or R on an interception) watching a player cross the goal line near the sideline would instinctively make eye contact with the official pursuing the action along that sideline. In the absence of a TO signal somewhere up the line, the presumption should be that the play was still live when the runner crossed the goal.

I would also presume, the sideline official who has observed a player step on, or outside, the sideline would continue signalling TO until everything stopped, or the deep official picked up, and repeated back, the signal.

I normally don't have a problem with any signal that actually helps clarify a situation, but I just don't see any value in this suggested signal, in as much as it to mean anything the deep official has to look to the sideline official anyway and seeing, or not seeing, the TO signal somewhere upfield tells the entire message.

[johnny1784]

Originally Posted by Bob M.

REPLY: As for the original post, I've never seen or even heard of the use of such a signal. Like the others have said, no signal means he's inbounds near the sideline; a whistle and a timeout signal means he's out of bounds. I can't for the life of me understand the value of such a signal.

There is a communication signal in the NFHS book to let others know the play was dead in bounds along the sideline... "wind clock twice then stop clock. Indicate progress was stopped inbounds and first down has been attained (official’s manual pg 24)." Other game officials will use this signal even if no first down was attained but to indicate we are still inbounds along the sideline.