Coaches box
 

How are football crews instructed to enforce the sideline rule? (Don't know the technical term for it) Does it vary by association, state, or just whatever crew happens to be working? I'm asking because over the course of this season, we have had crews that don't seem to care where anyone is (Several coaches in the box at the snap) and crews like last week that throw the flag for a warning and then penalize for when anyone has their toe touching the line. It just seems like this is enforced very inconsistently.

I guess it is kind of like basketball. Some officials let the HC wander to the end line and some enforce the box pretty strictly.

In Texas (due to a lawsuit about 5 years back), it is enforced strictly and by the book. And coaches know it.

When the restricted area was brought forth, after the aforementioned Texas lawsuit, NC officials were told to not enforce it at their own peril, ie missed playoffs assignments for video submitted on crews not enforcing it.

While the draconian edict has not been repeated, we are still expected to enforce it.

I found it to be helpful and really, after flagging the first warning, I've only flagged one team with the 5 yard foul since its inception.

The first season was brutal. Not so badly at varsity - took about 2 weeks for those guys to get in line. But the farther down you got, the less these guys seemed to get it.

What is the five yard foul for? The warning is first, right? Does the 5 yarder follow the warning? Is the 15 yarder only if the official runs into someone in the restricted area?

I was more militant about it last year than this year. At varsity, I pre-snap manage and yell at them to get back for about the first quarter. I only throw the flag the warning unless the contact is significant. After that, it'll calm down.

It's brutual at JV and below and the coaches take it very personally if you throw the warning flag. I flag but then I just stop running someone is in the way and will officiate from afar. I don't think a JV and below is worth a bone-crushing collision.

This year I missed an apparent late hit on the opening kick off because the coach was in front of me (about 3 yards on the field) at the end of the play. His kid got shaken up and he asked me why I didn't throw the flag on the hit. I told him that I couldn't see it because he was in my line of sight. Didn't have a problem after that :-)

There's no such thing as a "coaches box."

There's a restricted area and there's a tean box.

3 coaches are allowed in the restricted area until the ready for play whistle blows.

The first non-contact is a warning. The second non-contact is a 5 yard penalty. The third non-contact is 15 yard, etc.

Contact is an automatic 15.

Does NC have a different interpretation of "when the ball is live" than the rest of the country? :)

The state supervisor said that the RFP was the best point of reference rather than "about to become live" so yes, I guess we have a different interpretation.
Coaches are simple creatures and that gives them an audible signal, much like Pavlov's dog:D

"About" is pretty broad, or could be given some of the bizarre scenarios and questions that get posted here.:(

The word "about" is not part of 9-8-3, though.

When in Rome, or in this case, North Carolina...

Honestly, I wasn't trying to be a jerk about it. Quite frankly, your state's interpretation is the most reasonable and practical I've seen.

Rich, I guess it comes from the NF 2009 commentary, which was the first season, where it says "the coaches must move into the team box before the ball becomes live".

I think "about" comes from my state clinic notes that summer. I may have confused the two. In any event, the RFP gives us a good reference point to tell the coaches "ready for play blown guys, move back"

Our state guideline is "snapper over the ball & QB calling signals".