Warning officials?

[7Rock]

How do officials feel if a coach comes up to them before a game and lets them know of a tendancy a team has for doing something that is illegal, that they have observed in game films?

Two examples I can think of are:
a)A team try`s to neutralize a good kicker by sending a headhunter after him on kickoffs.
b)a running back has a habit of grabbing tacklers face mask while straight arming.

Does this offend officials or does it help them?

[BktBallRef]

It doesn't offend us. As soon as the coach starts, we cut him off. We call the game based on what we see, not what the coach saw on a game film.

[nvfoa15]

I usually take these comments with a grain of salt; but I will pass on to the crew this coach's "concerns."

For you situation A above, I would remind my U that that is one of his responsibilities - action on the kicker. For your second warning, this appears to be an attempt to "influence" a call. The runner contacts a defender's helmet - facemask! I would caution my crew to be sure he grasps the mask or helmet opening.

Some of the "warnings" I have heard is the TE is covered up and going downfield on a pass and blocking. Usually we find this is true but the play is a screen pass. Another one is wide outs coming back to the ball and blocking in the back or clipping. In this situation he's not telling us anything we not keying on normally anyway.

What's really funny about these warnings is when both coaches tell you the same thing about the other team!

[snrmike]

NVFOA15 is right about the "warnings". We've also had the experience of both coaches whining about "the other team" on several occasions. It just makes for good lockerroom humor.

The only warnings I like coaches to tell us about would be about trick plays or possibly that they run the wishbone/option a lot. Then we just alert the wings to be extra careful about blowing the whistle.

[TXMike]

It does not offend us down here. Most of us will listen and sometimes we can head off a potential problem. The coach may claim that a certain play or blocking scheme a team is running is illegal. Once he describes it to us, we explain to him that he is mistaken and why. That prevents him from screaming at us during the game about the "illegal play/block".

Humorous side note: Last Friday in the pregame, Home coach complains that other crews have been flagging his team too often for illegal formation, claiming they only have 6 on the line. Coach claims he has 7 but that some of the kids on the inside are so small they are hidden by the other linemen and therefore not counted. We assure him we will do every thing we can to be sure there are only 6 on the line before flagging. Then we go to the visiting Coach and first thing he says is "We have been looking at them for several weeks and they are lining their guards and tackles back off the line a lot for their inside trap plays to help the linemen get to the trap block quicker."
Noe we know why they were being flagged!!!!