NFL Umpire New Position

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

You're joking, right? We work 5 in virtually all JV games, some freshman games, and all varsity games. Hell, we worked 5 in the playoffs in our state's 6-man football. We're probably only 3-5 years away from 7 in most top classification district games.

We have districts that allow our assignors to put 5 in freshman games for flexibility. If he needs to relocate someone to a JV site on that day, he can and we continue with 4. But most of the time in those districts we work 5. Its nice; 4 is doable, but I can't imagine fewer than 5 in any form of a passing game. We'd probably sit out.

You must remember that you are in a football intense state that is practically unlike any other place in the country. I played one year in Texas in high school and I still tell the stories of what I saw first hand for attendance and attention to high school football. Around here (or in the Chicago area specifically, because this does not happen in other parts of the state) there are places that only hire 2 officials for a lower level game. Because of this fact I sit home as those are not fun at all and pointless from an experience point of view, but that is the reality. Now I cannot imagine playing less with less than 5 officials in a football game especially with the way it is played now (spread offenses and passing).

Peace