Being A Back Judge Questions
 

This past season was a first for me and my crew in that we had five officials. Personally, I was dissatisfied with the back judge, not personally, but from how the position was being covered even using two different officials. Don't know if my level of expectation was too high or if the effort was too low.

Therefore, I would like input from back judges or others to my questions.

1) On a run up the middle what do you look for?

2) How deep a cushion do you keep between the deepest receiver and you?

3) If the runner goes into a side zone how to you position yourself to cover and what do you look for?

4) When the runner goes out of bounds do you go to the sideline to assist the wingman?

When you read run, you watch mainly in front of the ball. Then when the ball is dead, look around the ball to make sure no one cheap shots or comes in late. Then clean up any activity around or outside of where the ball is located if there are no other officials located.

This really depends on where the ball is located and the circumstances. The goal is not to get beat. But I would say it is best to be around 5 yards in front of the ball, but circumstances might make that difficult. There is no one size fits all standard other than not getting beat. If the goal line is threatend and I have the goal line, I might stay right on the goal line to make sure it is crossed or not crossed appropriately.


I am looking at blocks ahead and around the ball carrier. Then when the ball comes closer, I try to pick up the ball carrier and players around them to make sure all blocks are legal and no one is grabbing the facemask of the ball carrier. And if I have the goal line, I am trying to get there as fast as I can.

Yes if I can get there. And definitely yes if players go deep into the sideline. I want to make sure an enemy player gets out safely or is not hit or confronted in an unsportsmanlike manner.

There is no one size fits all for all these situations. These are just some basic things I look for when covering plays you described.

Peace

Let's start with the idea when I was BJ, I was the primary inside-out wideview. I'd rarely be in close to the play. While the play is alive I'd most likely never be outside the hashes.
Around here the first read is the TE. If there is no TE, should be looking at the most challenged inside eligible. After the snap....

1) reading run up the middle, the BJ should focus on blocks against the LBs or any DBs that are up in front of the point of attack. A hold against one of these guys, usually by your TE key or a lead RB, is what can turn a small gain into a big one. The U and the HL/LJ should be taking the blocking at the line, so unless it's outrageously huge, you shouldn't be looking for that.

2) until the ball is thrown, I try to maintain my initial cushion of 18-20 yards. Realistically, an 18 old year can run a whole lot faster going forward than I can backpedalling, so that cushion is going to drop as we both run. When I do have to turn and run (cushion down to 10 yds), I make sure I'm still looking at my coverage responsibility by widening away rather than just getting into a race to the goal line. If I'm beat, I'm beat, but I still have to officiate (but I don't want to get beat:)). Once the ball is in the air I'll close to where I think the ball is going but I still want to maintain no less than a 7-10 yd cushion to view the play/catch. If the receiver has beaten the defender on a deep throw, I'll stay with trying to maintain the cushion rather than closing. On a long pass it's ok for me to pick up progress.

3) run into the sidezone is much the same as up the middle but I'm going to be even more aware of wideouts holding those DBs trying to come up. And around here, the BJ also has responsibility to make sure the defense is not cutting any lead blockers on a sweep.

4) when the runner goes OOB, it depends on the yardage gained. Around here they want the BJ going into the sideline if the gain is more than 3 yrds & the R if it's less, but that's a rule of thumb. Some R's are more mobile and might want to take a little more. Some are not as mobile and might take less. If you do go in, you go in fast and loud and find the player that's on the wrong sideline and get him out of there.

Speaking as a wingman....
 

I want to hear you coming to the sidezone.

I'm concentrating on the spot and the ball carrier and his tacklers as they go out of bounds. Its nice to hear that BJ coming, letting players know he's there and to clear out and get back to their huddle.

As the R I tell my wings if the QB comes their way I will be behind him and will let them know I am there usually saying something like "Got your back."

My thought is when the wing knows he has help he can hold the spot and watch the player while the R or BJ can separate them.

When do you quick backpedaling and start running forward.

Know the few times as the R when I get an interception return coming my way I start backpedaling but have no idea when I turn, I just do it.

One of the things I evaluated my BJ on was him standing in the middle of the field or even on the opposite hash when the runner was OOB.

What tip could you offer to avoid or does that just happen sometime?

It is hard to explain when to do it. It depends on the speed of the official and the speed of the players. As you said I would expect the official to just know when to turn, maybe not in his first game but it shouldn't take too long to pick up.

The BJ should be handling the ball on just about every play except a short run up the middle. It is is job to take the pitch from the wing and send it in to the umpire. If he is doing this on evey play he is forced to be in position. The wing, BJ, and umpire should always be forming a triangle around the ball.

The BJ's responsibility first is the goal line (if the ball is outside a certain yard line). Their secondary coverage is the sideline. It would really depend on the play and how long the gain is. It is not realistic to expect the BJ to be on the sideline every time. For one they are watching other things and might be paying attention to something in the middle of the field.

I guess a better response is a question to you. Why do you expect the BJ to be on the sideline every time? Or do you expect the BJ to be on the sideline every time?

Peace

I agree with this. He may have trips lined up on his right and moved toward that sideline, covering receivers who went downfield, and the QB dumped a pass off to a back or tight end on the other sideline for a short gain. The BJ may be 40-50 yards away.

My expectation is that the BJ adjust to the point of attack. Once the POA goes into a side zone he should be on that side of the field but maintain a cushion. If the runner goes OOB he should be 17 yards from the sideline and at least 10 yards ahead of the OOB spot. Maybe he does not make it to the sideline all the time but comes into the side zone and senses whether he should move to the sideline.

Know that requires hustle but is that expectation too much.

My problem is with a BJ standing flat foot on the opposite hash at the end of the play.

I would not suggest the BJ has to be on that side of the field. First he needs to maintain a cushion, but not on top of the play. And players tend to come back to the middle in a lot of situations. This is like asking an umpire go directly toward the running play no matter what.

The bottom line is you stay in the middle of the field until the play is over. If you go to that side, you might be in the middle of the players (and play) and getting blind sided (not good).

And if you BJ is not terribly athletic, then he really might be out of position. Closer is not always better.

Now after the play you might have to move, but that is only if you can get there if you need to get there. Other officials need to help out too.

Peace

That's one of those things that you just develop a feel for over time. I try to maintain a backpedal as long as possible, but usually, eventually, you need to turn. The longer you cna hold off though, the better look you are going to get at the play.

And there are times when it is unrealistic to expect your B to make it to the sideline, but he shouldn't be standing still in the center of the field.

Let me add to this - when the BJ's primary responsibility isn't the goal line it's the end line.

When my "lead" drops to 10 yds.
Now that I'm a R, those interception returns depend on where the interception happens. Downfield, it might be a while before I even realize what's going on since I'm focusing on the QB. If it's near the line, I'm most likely turning immediately but I still have to watch the play. So I try to widen away from the ball while I'm running to get the best look I can.

I'd tell him he has to get closer to that type play. If the runner is OOB, he should be at the close hash while the play is alive. Once the runner goes out he has to close quickly to the ball, especially if you have opposing players in the team box. If he's standing around in the middle of the field or even worse at the far hash, at best he's out of position, at worst he's simply not doing his job.

We usually make this switch at the 15 and in.

Maybe this is a mechanical difference, but anytime the ball is outside of the 10 yard line, the goal line is the BJ's responsibility in my mechanics. It only changes to the end line when at the 10 or closer to the goal line.

Now that might mean that I (as BJ) would have to make sure a play near the sideline is not ruled out by the wing officials before it crosses. But the BJ goes up with the signal and rules on TD, no TD because the wings are not likely to be there.

Peace

Things like that often vary according to assoc "rule". Around here the rule of thumb is inside the 15 the BJ goes to the end line. That can vary slightly according to type of play expected at the BJ's discretion just so long as he lets the HL/LJ know what's going on.

I think that's what I was trying to say.