HS Varsity Crew Sizes

[AUgrad2006]

I'm a newer (2nd year) official in Georgia where we use 6-man crews for varsity games. I am potentially moving over the next year and recently discovered that the state to which I am moving uses 5-man crews for varsity. This got me thinking a little about what the ideal crew size is for a varsity game. Personally, I think it helps tremendously to have two deep officials because this not only adds coverage downfield but also puts two guys on each sideline.

I know a lot of states use 5 man, some use 6, and I think one or two may even use 7. I'm just curious what other states use and what everyone thinks about the effectiveness of each respective scenario.

[johnSandlin]

In Michigan, we use 5 man crews for varsity games. However, there is speculation, that we could be going to 6 man crews in the future.

Nebraska and Iowa uses 5 man crews for varsity. Use of 4 and 3 man at the subvarsity and junior high levels vary by school or conference.

[TXMike]

Texas normally uses 5 but 7 man crews are authorized and we do have a 7 man manual. They are rarely used though. We have never, and I doubt we will ever, b authorized to use 6 man crews Experience has shown you are better off dropping the 6th and just use 5 or go to 7 since using 6 leaves a huge no man's land that does not get covered well.

[JugglingReferee]

Ontario: each officiating group assigns officials based on the number that they have. In my area, we are lucky to have a large enough membership to use 4 for regular season games, 5 for county playoffs, and 6 for county finals, sectional, regional, and provincial playoff games and finals. (7 is used only in CIS (equiv. to NCAA).)

However, we sometimes put 5 or 6 on RS games - but these additionally officials are not paid - they volunteer for the experience of another game, or to gain experience in crew sizes of greater than 4 officials.

[HLin NC]

N.C. standard for varsity is 5. JV's use 4 or 5 depending on local procedure.
Middle school and youth use 4. Some rec leagues may go with 3.

[tjones1]

Illinois uses 5-man crews. However, I've heard some are using 6.

[Refster]

Ohio uses 5 man crews. I like either 5 man or 7. Like to have a guy deep in the middle of the field.

[Forksref]

ND does not mandate it. Most games are 5-man crews. Some of the really small schools will request 4 to save money but that is becoming more infrequent. Large schools will pay for 5 for JV but most are 4-man games. JHS is anywhere from 3-4 depending on who can make it to a 4:30 game.

5-man for all playoff games.

I agree with rather having 5 than 6 in order to have the middle man for better angles.

I can't see us ever going to 6 because we have enough trouble trying fill our 5-man crews. We need more people!

[Rob S]

Oregon is now using 5 man on almost all Varsity games (yes we still have a few that use 4 man). JV is 4, freshman is 3. We've been fighting for years to get 5 on every varsity game (some schools won't pay), so I doubt we'll see more anytime soon.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Refster

Ohio uses 5 man crews.

I have not done playoff games, but I understand that we use 6 for them. I have heard that we will go to 6 for all varsity games in the next 2-3 years.

[bisonlj]

Indiana uses mostly 5-man crews but some crews have gone to 6 on their own. Most of the schools they contact (schedules are usually set 5-6 years in advance so at this point it is contacting the schools you've already contracted with) are agreeing to pay for a 6th. If they have 6 they also don't have the issue of replacing one guy on the crew if he can't make it that week for some reason. For the playoffs, the state will not allow 6-man crews so one member of the crew has to realize he won't be working any playoff games going in.

I've heard the same issue about 6 man crews leaving a gap in the middle of the field. It's never come from a crew that works 6-man though. I can see where there would be coverage issues with 6 but you also gain additional downfield coverage by having an extra official down there and the short wings can stay closer to the line of scrimmage.

[With_Two_Flakes]

Gotta agree with bisonlj. I've worked a fair bit of 6 here in the UK and Europe and I'm amazed that folks might actually prefer to leave an extra man out so there is a 5. I don't see that the occasional benefits of the guy in the middle concerning angles on the play would outweigh the benefits that you have with 6:- extra pair of eyes hence better dead ball coverage, better sideline coverage, better goal line coverage, better kicking play coverage, better receiver coverage on passing plays........

IMHO 5 is better than 4, 6 is better than 5, 7 is better than 6.

[FredFan7]

Illinois has five. Sometimes officials may use 6 if they have a sixth man on the crew who is a designated sub (one official has a kid who plays football, etc.). If all six are available they may work the game. There is NO guarentee that the sixth man will get a check, though...if that happens the five split their checks with him.

I would wish the IHSA would expand to six or even seven man crews, but I don't think there's enough officials (especially downstate) to fill all the spots.

[OverAndBack]

And schools would balk, right?

As far as I know, we have 5 man varsity crews in Arizona. Below that, it's four (more running for the wings). The season-opening game, between Arizona's big school champion and Nevada's, used a seven-man crew (with two from Nevada).

Illinois had five, but we also had five below varsity.