Positioning of R

[whitehat]

I agree, passing arm side.

And, kicking foot side for Punts: FG and PAT always facing holder

[Illini_Ref]

I agree with you all. I have been a white hat at the varsity level for about 8 years now. I just want to work well with the new crew. Last Friday was to be our first game together but.................I am a police officer and an inmate from the local state prison escaped that day. I worked 13 hours and missed my game. Will try it again tomorrow.

I have asked 4 clinicians in Illinois. Three say arm side. One says that with a 5 man crew the R should stay between the hashes regardless of what arm the QB throws with. The one who said that is the head clinician and rules interpreter for the state of Illinois. What to do, what to do????

Here is his email:

The HS manual was written by men who were influenced by college mechanics which is 7-man. With HS mechanics, if the R starts on the throwing arm of the QB, if the play goes the other way, the R, who's not 18 years old, has to cover more than 2/3 of the field to stay with the play. That's not practical.

The HS Ref should stay between the hashes and not concern himself with the throwing arm of the QB.

Hope this helps.

[ajmc]

Originally Posted by Illini_Ref

IHere is his email:

The HS manual was written by men who were influenced by college mechanics which is 7-man. With HS mechanics, if the R starts on the throwing arm of the QB, if the play goes the other way, the R, who's not 18 years old, has to cover more than 2/3 of the field to stay with the play. That's not practical.

The HS Ref should stay between the hashes and not concern himself with the throwing arm of the QB. Hope this helps.

Sounds like very PRACTICAL advice. Positioning on the passer's arm side is the recommended mechanic, and may work exceptionally well. It is not a dictate however, and nobody knows you and your capabilities better than YOU.

"One size fits ALL", never ALWAYS works. If you believe you do a better job and provide better coverage favoring the "wide" side, that's a decision you should make. If you're more comfortable favoring the Passer's arm, and that works better for you, that's fine too.

Recommended mechanics are based on consideration of mountains of data, and usually make a lot of sense and should absolutely be seriously considered, but may not apply to everyone, all the time.

[JRutledge]

You have almost nothing else to do but watch the QB or things around the QB. And no one but the Referee has the QB getting hit or what he is doing with his arm. I would have to tell that crew what I am going to do and they would have to deal with it. I see no benefit for being on the wide side in 4, 5, 6 or 7 person mechanics. What do you need to be wide for in the first place? IR, what is their logic? BTW, that is not the state's mechanics at all.

Peace

[CT1]

Originally Posted by Illini_Ref

The HS manual was written by men who were influenced by college mechanics which is 7-man. With HS mechanics, if the R starts on the throwing arm of the QB, if the play goes the other way, the R, who's not 18 years old, has to cover more than 2/3 of the field to stay with the play. That's not practical.

The HS Ref should stay between the hashes and not concern himself with the throwing arm of the QB.

For 5-man, I agree with your clinician. It's very rare for me to have to rule on the QB's arm motion compared with the number of times I have to cover a RB going OOB on the wide side.

If the QB drops back & sets up in the pocket, I can easily adjust my position to get an angle on his arm.

[Tom.OH]

Does your state have a mechanics manual? If it does follow it. In Ohio the R is on the wide side. If the ball is in the middle, pick whichever side you want.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Tom.OH

Does your state have a mechanics manual? If it does follow it. In Ohio the R is on the wide side. If the ball is in the middle, pick whichever side you want.

I think that's the issue. The State manual says Arm-side; his state rules guy is saying the opposite.

[Rich]

In 4-man, I still go passer side. We still have wings on both sides of the field. I don't work 3-man.

For punts in 4-man, however, I go to the vacated LJ's side regardless of kicking leg. That's the book mechanic and we *do* need someone covering that sideline short, and I figure that's me.

4-man on try downs and FG's -- I call the uprights as the R and the LJ calls the crossbar from the corner. The HL watches for roughing on the kicker/holder.

[JRutledge]

I have worked 2 State Finals in the State of Illinois in football. I have had two different Referees that are IHSA Clinicians now and then. Both Referees always, ALWAYS went to the thrower's arm side of the players. The first State Final, that Referee is now an assignor and name is on the IHSA Mechanics PowerPoint with the Head Clinician. And that Referee (in our first state final as a crew) runs one of the best football camps in the state for HS during the summer and was the producer of the "2013 Crew of 5 Training" DVD with Bill LeMonnier, they only teach to be on the arm of the QB. I cannot even believe this is a debate on any level from any clinician in our state. If that QB is hit, you have no perspective on the motion of the arm. Also going to the sideline is one of the most overrated things when you have a BJ that is supposed to get to the sideline in most situations and even Umpires come over as support as well. I just do not get the thinking that you need to stay wide.

Peace

[Rich]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I have worked 2 State Finals in the State of Illinois in football. I have had two different Referees that are IHSA Clinicians now and then. Both Referees always, ALWAYS went to the thrower's arm side of the players. The first State Final, that Referee is now an assignor and name is on the IHSA Mechanics PowerPoint with the Head Clinician. And that Referee (in our first state final as a crew) runs one of the best football camps in the state for HS during the summer and was the producer of the "2013 Crew of 5 Training" DVD with Bill LeMonnier, they only teach to be on the arm of the QB. I cannot even believe this is a debate on any level from any clinician in our state. If that QB is hit, you have no perspective on the motion of the arm. Also going to the sideline is one of the most overrated things when you have a BJ that is supposed to get to the sideline in most situations and even Umpires come over as support as well. I just do not get the thinking that you need to stay wide.

Peace

I'm with you. I help with cleanup if the play's to my side. If it's to the far side, the BJ gets in there. We've talked about this as a crew. I do not want to sacrifice the passer's arm side for anything, regardless of the number of officials.

I don't understand the comment above about the RB going OOB. I mean, we have wing officials, after all.

[ajmc]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I just do not get the thinking that you need to stay wide. Peace

There is abundant, solid, well researched advise built into the recommended mechanic of favoring the passing arm of the passer, that should be seriously considered when determining the chosen positioning of the Referee.

However, the specific game you are working, play callin preferences related to how this specific game is unfolding, for each team, the Referee's personal capabilities (or rstrictions thereof), the specific capabilities and experience of crew mates, you are actually working with at that game and any number of other factors unique to the game you are working, may influence the positioning decision.

Any and all factors, certainly including all those built into the recommended positioning, should be considered for each game, by the Referee assigned to that particular game.

[REFANDUMP]

Originally Posted by CT1

For 5-man, I agree with your clinician. It's very rare for me to have to rule on the QB's arm motion compared with the number of times I have to cover a RB going OOB on the wide side.

If the QB drops back & sets up in the pocket, I can easily adjust my position to get an angle on his arm.

What are your wing officials and back judge doing ?? Taking a nap !!!

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by CT1

For 5-man, I agree with your clinician. It's very rare for me to have to rule on the QB's arm motion compared with the number of times I have to cover a RB going OOB on the wide side.

If the QB drops back & sets up in the pocket, I can easily adjust my position to get an angle on his arm.

For 5-man ... why in the world do you care about the RB going OOB on the wide side. Not your job.

For 3 or 4-man, if a linesman goes with a receiver, I can see the point.

[Illini_Ref]

Originally Posted by whitehat

I agree, passing arm side.

And, kicking foot side for Punts: FG and PAT always facing holder

Absolutely!