You make the call

[HighSchoolWhiteHat]

I have seen many officials make the wrong call on this play.

NFHS Rules only.

x x x x x x x x
88 80 79 68 55 66 78 82
8

22 33


A8 Drops back to throw.
A8 throws to A80 who make the reception and is tackled 20 yards downfield.
What is the call or is there any call at all?

Look at the positions on the LOS.

Easy answer.

[HighSchoolWhiteHat]

ok

Lets try this again



88 80 79 68 55 66 78 82
................8.........

............22.....33.....




A little better I hope

[HighSchoolWhiteHat]

heck

A8 is under center #55


SORRY

[AndrewMcCarthy]

Everyone is on the line except 8, 22 and 33?

[ABoselli]

80 is covered, therefore not on the end of the line. Eligible by number, but not by position. Now the A coach will yell at 88 and tell him he's supposed to be off the line - they'd practiced it all week. Ineligible receiver downfield. If he touches the pass, offensive pass interference. B gets their choice. 88 gets a few plays off to think about it.

[AndrewMcCarthy]

Offensive Pass Interference. B has a choice of taking the result of the play or penalize A 15 yds from the previous spot AND loss of down.

OPI can be a drive killer!!!

[HighSchoolWhiteHat]

Correct OPI

I have seen officials call just ineligible receiver downfield.

[HighSchoolWhiteHat]

Hey Abosselli,

How do you know the coach didn't want A80 off the line?

[ABoselli]

Sure, A80 could have been the culprit. When I see an eligible number line up next to the tackle on my side (if I'm a wing) with another eligible split out on the line, I know somebody has screwed up. If the wideout starts in motion back towards the line, I know everything is going to be OK because here comes a sweep and my motion man is about to crack back on the backer or end, so eligibility won't matter.

Most of the time, though, I hear the coaches scolding the player to get off the line and ask the official every time.

[HighSchoolWhiteHat]

Don't you just love it when a coach says its your fault because you didn't show his player the LOS?

Its amazing how coaches look for someone to blame because their player doesn't know where hes/her is supposed to line up.

When I go out on the wing and the receiver gives me the old High,Hello signal as I call it(he may call it the "AM I IN THE RIGHT SPOT SIGNAL"). I just stick out my foot and point down at the LOS and thats about all he gets.How do I know if that players supposed to be back or up?

[AndrewMcCarthy]

Our mechanic as wingmen is to tell the receiver he's off or on the line if he does his little wave hello (and usually if he doesn't). If he's off the line we extend our arm (punch) to indicate it.

In sub-varsity games the receivers often need to be talked through it but they pick it up after a couple plays. A little preventive officiating goes a long way.

At the varsity level they really should have their act together.

My favorite is when A only has 6 men on the line and it gets flagged. The coach will always ask, "Well who was it?!?!?!?" There were FIVE players off, Coach, that's the problem!

[Middleman]

Originally posted by AndrewMcCarthy
Our mechanic as wingmen is to tell the receiver he's off or on the line if he does his little wave hello (and usually if he doesn't). If he's off the line we extend our arm (punch) to indicate it.

"On" and "Off" sound too much alike. I will tell the player "You are ON the line" or "You are a BACK" along with the signal (punch).

They can't blame you for themselves mixing up "ON" and "BACK" due to crowd noise.

[JMN]

Not sure I would use the verbal "On", "Off", or "Back" when communicating with a receiver. Seems too ripe for error, especially in a loud stadium. Plus, now you have to concentrate on communicating with the one player instead of watching the line of scrimmage and your partner across the field.

My vote is to start early in scrimmages and first games to educate coaches (again) and receivers as to the meaning of our mechanics. During games, if the team on my sideline is not sharp on their formation/alignment, I'll let the coach know that he is flirting with a foul and remind him that all his receiver has to do is look to me for "On" or "Off". And, if his guys don't get it or take no action and the flag drops, he knows that I've been trying to avert the 5 yds. No problems the rest of the game.

[HighSchoolWhiteHat]

Heck, sometimes the player doesn't know if he should be up or not. So im not telling him. I'll show him the LOS and thats about it. Im not the coach. Im not there to line up a receiver, its the coaches job to make sure his players know where to be.