LSU/PSU - Two Flags Thrown by the R
 

Caveat - I am not a football official.

LSU /PSU Capital One Bowl Game

LSU QB drops back to pass. R throws flag for hold against LSU O Lineman. Play continues. PSU D Lineman gets to LSU QB and as he's making the sack, LSU QB intentionally grounds the ball. R throws another flag.

Questions:

1) Is it standard for officials, all officials, to have two flags?

2) Have you ever used two flags on a play? How common is this?

Thanks

1. No, but probably more common the higher one goes.

2. Yes.

3. I don't know who's qualified to tell you about all over the world at every level. In my association maybe 25% of officials carry 2 flags.

I've always carried two flags. One ball type in the front of my knickers, and one folded up in my right front pocket. I can think of only a few times I've used them both on one play.

I know I always carry two and I'm pretty certain my crewmates on both college and high school crews do the same. And, yes, I did have two flags while working the R position. QB's facemask was grabbed by the defender, then he got way and scrambled more and intentionally grounded the ball. The grounding definitely completely unrelated to the FM foul. Both were very easy calls to make.

IMO you should always have two flags. The R of my college crew had 3 fouls two years ago and had to throw his hat because he was out of flags! And, in that case all fouls were "there" and no one questioned it. I recall two of them being dead-ball infractions.

Although it's purely a personal choice, most officials I know carry two flags. Actually using the second flag is something that doesn't happen every season and you may go several seasons without having the need to use that second flag, but when you need it you're glad you carry it. It doesn't weigh all that much.

Understand. It's like in basketball, carrying an extra whistle or needle (to inflate balls) - you carry em around forever and never need em. But, when you do, good to have!

Standard in the UK to carry two flags, one tucked into the pants at the front so you can get to it, the second one in a side pocket so it is not showing. We consider that we do not want our officials to look too "eager" to be flagging stuff by having two flags showing.

Honigs used to sell a smaller size flag to use as a second flag (don't know if they still do) and that's what I carry in my pocket. Can't recall the last time I threw the second flag, but occasionally you do need it. It is not a big deal to have to carry two, and I also carry two beanbags, two whistles, a spare clip if I am HL, etc. Best to be prepared.

Exactly, same concept really. I carry two flags, one folded in my front pocket and a ball-type flag in my waist band. I have used both during the same play a few times, mostly when there was extra curricular activity involved.

2 of everything
 

My crew pokes fun at me because in my bag I've got at least 2 of everything, 2 pairs of shoes, 2 knickers, 2 of each shirt, 4 whistles, 3 flags, 3 bean bags in 2 colors, 2 clips, 3 down indicators, 3 hats (I only have 1 wh). Then this year at our playoff game 2 of them forgot whistles, and they didn't say a word about my abundant supply.

On the field I always (even for elementary games) 2 whistles, 2 flags, 2 bags, 2 down indicators, 1 clip (no matter my position) and most importantly 2 quarters. (sidestory: about 50% of the time I lose my quarter after the coin toss, About 5 years ago as we're getting set for OT I realized I had lost my quarter, thankfully the U had a spare, ever since I carry 2.)

I use 2 bags on 50% of punts when I'm BJ.

I've probably used 2 flags twice every 3 years.

This year in a radio game had 2. I was R, QB lined up in shotgun (5 yards deep for those who don't use coaching terms) he sent a HB (back) in motion and then while the back was in motion QB moved up under the center for the snap. Flag #1 for Illegal shift. He dropped back faked a reverse and scrambled to the left, under heavy pressure he threw the ball about 5 feet in front of him. It took me a second to get out the 2nd flag so much so that my LJ on that side was running in to remind me he didn't have any receivers in that area. A buddy back home listening on the radio said the announcers called me "flag happy" on that play. Of course the announcers were also upset about the grounding since the QB was "obviously out of the pocket." But as my buddy said when he told me about it, they thought they were "obviously at the wrong game" Do any colleges play 8-man football?

For my first 7 or 8 years, I carried one flag in my right rear pocket. Over time I realized that when on the wing, folks can see you reach for it. I began to carry a ball type flag in my front waistband, which soon eliminated the "Oh c'mon ref, I saw you reach, why didn't you throw the flag?" comments. To ease the transition, I kept the original flag in the back pocket.

That second flag comes in handy on DBF or a USC after you've thrown the first one during a LBF and keeps from having to toss your hat in the mud!

Other than USC fouls I have rarely used 2 flags on a play, but it does happen on occasion.

In a JV game this year working R I had two flags on the same kid, one for a block below the waist and then a clip.

And he didn't understand why he got flagged for either one - "no one told him he couldn't do that."

A block below the waist, and a clip on the same play. That's the daily double right there.

I carry 2, and have thrown 2 on only a couple of occasions. One was, as the R, a hold I had followed by a late hit OOB's as I followed the scrambling QB. I had one as a wing with a IF at the snap and then a FM on the tackle.

The funny thing about that play was the 2nd flag by the R. He threw it up in the air, but it was an IG foul, so he had to go get it and toss it at the spot of the foul, cuz that is the spot of penalty enforcement. He almost caught it after he realized it, if you see it again, watch, he looks at it and it looks like he thinks of catching it. He lets it hit and then goes and gets it and tosses it to the spot. I got a chuckle out of it, cuz I knew what he was thinking and could see how it could happen.

General policy in my association is also 2 flags. I believe I remember reading that the Canadian officials are supposed to only carry 1.

Worst in my assocsiation:
2 flags, 1 hat, 2 beanbags. Nasty play with all sorts of bad things going on during and after a punt. He said his penalty card was next.

Belt goes before penalty card.