3 yard box
 

I was thinking aout this rule and was wondering if the Fed would consider just say "Stay out of it!" The in and out thing stinks. If they can stay out of it on Sat and Sun, then I am certain HS coaches can stay out of it on Fri Night.

Thought?

Do I get to post just one?

Well, ok, here's the thought: if nobody's allowed in the box, then they'll all have to go around it to get onto the field. My thought is: seems pretty restrictive.

Yeah, its like the pick-up/drop-off area at the air port...no standing. Everybody's got to go through, but nobody can stop.

Lets enforce it
 

My crew gives too much leeway - I'm sure others do to. If we start by throwing the warning flag and continue to enforce with other flags - these guys in the box will get it. Let's enforce the rule.

My crew has been enforcing it quite a bit... actually, we've thrown at least one sideline warning flag for each varsity game, and we've thrown 2 (one on each team) in at least half of them.

The first sideline warning seems to do the trick; only once have we had to throw a second sideline flag.

The problem is conjestion along the sideline. NFHS has been dealing with the problem, in steps, for a couple of years. Although it surely varies by area, it sounds like, overall, this latest step seems to be working. Should it fail to reduce the problem, to the extent intended, there are more steps available.

There will always be exceptions and those who stubbornly resist cooperation. That's why God gives us flags.

I thought this rule would have so many problems and we have had almost no problems at all. Coaches stay out of the box. Of course you get some that like to linger in that area, but they seem to not be there when play is around them. In some cases the teams have moved the players further back than required. This is great so far.

Peace

I've had more than one varsity head coach tell me they thought they'd hate the restricted area, but find now they actually like it (or it's no big deal). It's not the being on the field they want -- just being in front of the players and this has given the coaches a reason to move the players farther back.

We've had 2 sideline warning flags (step 1) in 9 varsity games so far this season. We have had one head coach USC flag and one assistant coach USC flag, but those would've happened last year, too.

We don't work crews here, but every crew I have worked on this year has thrown several each contest. My point is in Baseball they get 1 on deck hitter, 2 base coaches and a dugout to be in. In basketball they have a nice well defined team area to stay in. But here they have an area that IMO the Fed is saying, well we need to do something, but we can't take 3 yards away from them so we will let them be in it some times and not in others.

It is easier to enforce and officiate if it is one way or the other. If it is about safety, them keep them out all the time. And yes, just like the airport, no parking. You would never have a coach in there for any reason than to cross durring a TO. Aside from that flag them every time and they will learn.

I guess my issue is that younger/less experienced officials tend to work the flanks in my area and it takes time to develope managment skills. My other issue is who is looking in the box when the ball is live? If it were an all the time thing it could easily be apart of your presnap routine, but as it is written it cannot be. Make a rule that is easy to consistently enforce.

I had a rather unpleasant experience last week during a varsity game.

Coaches were told prior to the game to stay out of the restricted box. I told the HC on my sideline that him and his assitants need to be out of my way while the ball was live at all times.

3rd play of the game, I run into an assistant in the restricted area, flag comes out, and they get the warning.

As usual, the coaches make a big show of telling the players to get back - but of course the players are not the problem.

Anyway, it is pretty much ok until the 4th quarter. Game is tied at 21, and the intensity level is very high. I start getting coaches in the box again, and I tell them several times that they must get out of my way, and back up.

At one point, I actually tell the head coach "Coach, don't make me bang you for five over this in a tied game" In retrospect, I think this was a mistake, more on that later.

Other team has the ball with about 3 minutes left in the game, and they are driving. Third and seven, and I glance to my right, and there is the DC crouched down on the sideline, about a yard or two away from me - right where I am going to need to move. I tell him, kind of to the side since the snap is imminent and I don't want to take my eyes off the field "Coach, you need to get back!" and actually reach out and tap him on the shoulder.

Ball is snapped, a run off tackle to my side, I start to slide up field, BAM! run right into him, again. I toss my flag, and the runner gets about 5 yards on the play, and with the 5 more from the sideline, it is a first down.

Team goes on to score the game winning TD, and the team on my sideline cannot answer, so they lose.

Of course, this is all my fault, and I lost them the game, how can I throw that at such a critical juncture. An assistant actually screams at me as I am running off the field that I should be ashamed of myself, etc., etc., etc.

Fast forward to this week, and I have that same team again, this time at their home. The HC during the pre-game asks about the restricted zone rule, because "it costs them the game last week" while he is looking right at me. I go over to talk to the chain crew, and they regale me with tales about how the announcers during last weeks game (it was on a local channel) where talking about it being one of the worst calls ever.

Joy. I will throw that same flag next time though. In fact, the one thing I would change is to not bother with the warnings in the 4th. I didn't want to throw the flag, so I held off, and then when I ran into the guy, I don't think I had any choice anymore, and that happened to be a rather critical play.

edit: And of course, in this area coaches get to rate the officials, so that will be a nice juicy '5' for me and I can forget about a post-season assignment next year.

We run into a coach who doesn't belong there and we skip right to 15.

They really would've been unhappy if I was working.

But you're right. Talk once and then start with the sequence. That way it doesn't look like you are waiting till a crucial juncture to nail them. It's like letting a pitcher sorta balk all game and just talking to him and then nailing him with one (for the same infraction) when the winning run is on third base.

Don't verbally warn them at all, the first flags serves as a warning. If they are in the RA it is a foul.

You (and/or referee) can remind them before the game. You can remind them while the ball is dead that they have to back up soon. They are well aware of where they can stand. If they still want to be in the RA call the foul every time.

We are supposed to warn twice verbally, flag for 5, then flag for 15.

That seems odd that you don't have a flag for a warning. Why is that changed from the normal way of doing it?

We do have a flag for a warning. For this year, at any rate, Ohio wants to give coaches additional chances to comply with the rule before losing yards. :shrug:

FWIW, I haven't seen much difficulty enforcing this rule on the fields that have space. I worked a game last Friday where the visitors had literally 6 feet between sideline and fence. Not much you can do there.