Communication signal
 

Does anyone use a NFHS communication signal for LJ and HL when a ball carrier is running down the sideline? Was told to use punch signal, extended arm to indicate a player with ball is inbounds while running down sideline. If your association uses this communication signal (not referring to "last play was out of bounds" or "backward pass" or "player nearest wing is off line of scrimmage") then include the reasons why they are using such a signal and what is the main purpose.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Whatever subtle signal (eye contact, thumbs up, point, whatever) a wing and a back judge might make to say "I got him inbounds" and "I got him over the goal line" so that you are on the same page before a touchdown signal is made, that's absolutely the way to go.

Signalling that a guy is still inbounds seems superfluous to me.

I don't even understand the thumbs up. Wouldn't you blow your whistle the second he steps on the line? The BJ shouldn't be waiting for a TO signal. the wing should blow his whistle as soon as someone goes OOB, then continue until he is at the spot and signal TO. If it's close to the pylon the BJ shouldn't be signally anything anyway. There is no rush to signal a TD. The wing should get to the pylon and make the 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.

I think it's just a final check to make sure. I've always been told that you can take an extra second on the back end to make eye contact just in case and it's better than having the guy say "Oh, shoot, wait, I actually had him out back here, my bad. Sorry."

REPLY: Yes...but that's used when the play is over and is a signal to the ECO to keep the clock running. You don't see the wing traiiling the play winding the clock all the way down the sideline while the ball is live, do you?

Heck no to your question. I have never seen such an action and duh... I do understand the proper usage of the wind the clock signal. Please re-read my previous quotes as I never posted any such statements that a wing official would be trailing the play winding the clock all the way down the sideline while the ball is live. Why did you assume to comprehend such nonsense? My original post referred to a punch extended arm communication signal told to me to be required by wing during live ball with runner advancing along sideline and I wanted feedback from others if they ever heard of such a requirement. You’re coming across from left field with your reply.

REPLY: I never assumed that you or anyone else did this. I was using it as an analogy of signaling while the ball is live. Of course winding the clock during the play is ridiculous. But you were the one who brought it up as a means of comparison to the signal in your original post. I just pointed out the difference--that being that the signal you proposed was used throughout the play, whereas the one you mentioned as a comparison is simply used when the ball becomes dead. If my reply appeared to be coming from left field, I apologize.

We just had a substitute who used this signal. Our back judge liked it. How about this situation.

Long run. BJ has him in. LJ has him out but whistle slips out of his hand and there is a short delay in blowing it. In the meantime, the BJ goes up. Now you have a mess.

This signal is no different than the thumbs up or the nod or whatever. It allows the BJ to signal more quickly and eliminates the bad result that I described. I'm okay with it.

Yes we signal. Yes I make eye contact with my wings. Yes I wait for some indication from them before I go up with a TD. I have gone up with a TD while assuming I had a TD, only to have my partner signal the player out at the 2 yard line. If it is a TD now, it is a TD 10 seconds from now. If you go up with a TD, it is going to be hard to take it back without some explaining to do. For all I know my partner might have been knocked down or is a little slow and I want some confirmation so I do not make a quick TD call.

Peace

Did the LJ stop and mark the spot?

I've had trouble finding the whistle, too, sometimes. But I'd stop and get the spot and kill the clock and make the whistle the tertiary thing. And if the BJ saw me do that, I'd hope he'd wonder why.

Granted, this all happens at speed and with varying levels of experience on a crew, so it may not be realistic. In any case, like Rut says, a few seconds ain't a deal-breaker if it means the difference between looking cohesive and looking scattered.

I just
 

make eye contact with my BJ and nod if he is in, otherwise I am signaling the OB spot.