NFHS Ball Mechanics

[FTVMartin]

We usually don't have an option due to lack of balls and ballboys. Most games we keep the ball boy with one ball from each team near the chains.

I would never tell a coach how he can do it. We have had coaches who wanted to keep their ball on their own side and that is fine.

ajmc...I don't think the point is that the officials were being told anything. Yes, we do have control over the ball getting into the field and being set ready for play. But it's not our perogative as officials to tell a coach that he can't have his ball boy take care of the ball, etc. The crew mentioned in the opening post to this thread showed arrogance and dictated that there would be no choice in the ball boys.

[PSU213]

It would be nice to run balls from both teams off both sidelines, but we often have trouble getting 1 good ball boy, let alone two. Because of that we have teams keep their footballs on their own side of the field. Some people prefer to have all the footballs come off one sideline, but this requires a ball boy to work from his opponent's sideline (which can be very uncomfortable for an 8-yr old ball boy). Yes, this means a long incompletion on the L's side can mean getting a new ball from the opposite side, but this is not too difficult.

[OverAndBack]

Originally Posted by PSU213

Some people prefer to have all the footballs come off one sideline, but this requires a ball boy to work from his opponent's sideline (which can be very uncomfortable for an 8-yr old ball boy).

Not if one kid does both and he's on his sideline.

I've had great kids who can handle both teams' footballs from one sideline without any issues whatsoever. And if he's on his sideline, all the better.

[GoodScout]

With the rise of no-huddle offenses, this has become a big issue in the past few years. Our association's crews always try and work with each team to allow them to run balls in when they feel they need to. (We of course don't let them just run a ball in on fourth downs for obvious reasons). Likewise, finding good, quick ballboys who pay attention is always a challenge. Ironically, it's usually the coaches who push us in the pregame to hurry the RFP for their no-huddle who have the slowest ballboys.

One pet peeve this U has for R's and other crew members: Don't relay out the ball so quickly on a change of possession. I like to place the ball on the spot at the end of play, and then replace it with the incoming offense's ball before lifting and relaying out the old one. Why? Because if I have a ballboy who decided to go get a Coke or hit on a female trainer on the sideline rather than do his job, I still have a football to work with and we can play with the "wrong team's ball." When you relay out the only football, we stand their looking like morons screaming "Ball! Ball!" at the top of our lungs.

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by GoodScout

With the rise of no-huddle offenses, this has become a big issue in the past few years. Our association's crews always try and work with each team to allow them to run balls in when they feel they need to. (We of course don't let them just run a ball in on fourth downs for obvious reasons). Likewise, finding good, quick ballboys who pay attention is always a challenge. Ironically, it's usually the coaches who push us in the pregame to hurry the RFP for their no-huddle who have the slowest ballboys.

One pet peeve this U has for R's and other crew members: Don't relay out the ball so quickly on a change of possession. I like to place the ball on the spot at the end of play, and then replace it with the incoming offense's ball before lifting and relaying out the old one. Why? Because if I have a ballboy who decided to go get a Coke or hit on a female trainer on the sideline rather than do his job, I still have a football to work with and we can play with the "wrong team's ball." When you relay out the only football, we stand their looking like morons screaming "Ball! Ball!" at the top of our lungs.

Basically agree, although I don't like having ball boys on the field - EVER. The wing official will take the new ball from the ball boy. If the wing is down field the U or R will go over and get it.

I totally agree with not throwing a ball off after a COP until you have the replacement. It's not our job to go chasing the ball boy around the sideline looking for a new ball. IF the ball isn't ready we're playing with the one we have.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by waltjp

Basically agree, although I don't like having ball boys on the field - EVER. The wing official will take the new ball from the ball boy. If the wing is down field the U or R will go over and get it.

I totally agree with not throwing a ball off after a COP until you have the replacement. It's not our job to go chasing the ball boy around the sideline looking for a new ball. IF the ball isn't ready we're playing with the one we have.

Amazing the differences -- I'm the WH on my crew and I want the ball boys (on a new series) to run all the way out and HAND the ball to the umpire. On a long incompletion either the wing or BJ will get a new ball from the ball boy while someone else chases the other ball.

[ajmc]

Excuse me, RefUmpWelsch, I was not responding to the behavior mentioned in the original example. The reaction to those restrictions and any arrogance or annoyance at the request seems fairly obvious. I don't know about "perogative", but choosing to insist on an unusual, one sided, restriction regarding the exchange of footballs seems unnecessary and a really poor way to elicit cooperation before the start of a game.

The point I was trying to make, is that neither team is entitled to, or should receive, ANY special treatment related to the pace of the RFP for ANY reason, much less when it's suggested when a change of pace is intended to give one team an advantage.

There are all sorts of "issues" to deal with relating to ballboys and/or exchanges of game balls. Unfortunately, the primary factors are usually where you are and what resources are made available to you. Some venues provide excellent assistance, some offer horrible help, and you have to figure out the best way to deal with what you've got. Thankfully, we have great leeway to do what we think will be best.

[QUOTE=ajmc;554925]The point I was trying to make, is that neither team is entitled to, or should receive, ANY special treatment related to the pace of the RFP for ANY reason, much less when it's suggested when a change of pace is intended to give one team an advantage.[QUOTE]

I think you better re-read the original post. The officials gave special treatment to the home team, after the visiting coach mentioned his offense was a hurry-up offense. The coach was trying to equalize it, and I'll admit he went a little bit too far with his reasoning, but he was put at a disadvantage by the officiating crew AFTER he originally stated he had a hurry-up offense. Not to judge the crew, the posting made it sound like the crew heard "hurry-up" and and became offended by it. That's the arrogance I was speaking of.