Guilty of Disregarding Advice

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by Warrenkicker
I do not give any indication to the defense that the other team is taking a knee. I do not give any assurance to the offense that I will protect them more than normal. I remind the defense that the play ends on my whistle. If I were to do otherwise then I would be controlling the game instead of officiating it.

I disagree. We need to do a certain amount of preventive officiating and this falls under that category. Call it controlling the game if you want but it's certainly not controlling the outcome of the game. There's a difference.

[cowbyfan1]

I have always been under the school of thought to tell the defense to lay off. I am thinking not anymore because of this. I will tell my U to pinch in as will I and as soon as that knee hits, blow the whistle and get "into" the line to kepp things clean.
I supposed the A says they are going to take a knee and the defense is told, and then they don't that could possibly fall under USC. Infact that might be a thought.. If B is told to layoff and A does not take a knee, flag them 15 for USC from the previous spot, especially if they score. Treat it like "where's the tee play" play..

[chris s]

Originally posted by cowbyfan1
I have always been under the school of thought to tell the defense to lay off. I am thinking not anymore because of this. I will tell my U to pinch in as will I and as soon as that knee hits, blow the whistle and get "into" the line to kepp things clean.
I supposed the A says they are going to take a knee and the defense is told, and then they don't that could possibly fall under USC. Infact that might be a thought.. If B is told to layoff and A does not take a knee, flag them 15 for USC from the previous spot, especially if they score. Treat it like "where's the tee play" play..

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We use the same "school"....But original post said the knee was coming down in third period...sounds fishy to me, why waste a down? But, point well taken on a deke by A....we be taking a knee and then run play...talk about an insult......

[mikesears]

Originally posted by chris s
....But original post said the knee was coming down in third period...sounds fishy to me, why waste a down?

Often happens in this league when a team is up by 21 points or more so I thought nothing of it. It was also during a try so they weren't exactly wasting a down.


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Seems there are two "schools of thought".

1. First school of thought: Let defense know, "IF he takes a knee, stay off the QB". Some choose to squeeze in from their normal positions.

2. Second school of thought: Don't say a word. Officiate by what happens.


I'm looking for advatages/disadvantages to each.

[Bob M.]

REPLY: What scares me about trying to inject too much preventive officiating into this situation is this: What happens if the QB muffs the snap? If you've gone so far as to tell the defense or imply that the offense will be taking a knee, you might be robbing them of an opportunity to recover if they only go at it half-speed. And in such a situation, an intention to take a knee may go by the boards and A may end up trying to advance against a relaxed defense. This is only going to get you in trouble. My solution: pinch in tight and be ready to blow the whistle as soon as the QB 'genuflects' toward the ground. Also, if A tells me he's going to take a knee and he doesn't, I'm not flagging it as USC. It might offend my sensibilities. I will be giving their coach a good talking-to, but I'm not flagging it.

[JMN]

Agree with Bob.

I believe our greatest risk here is when a dejected defense wants to get in "a few last licks" on the offense. Nothing good can come out of this and it is a situation that will either injure a player or start a fight.

So it is imperative that the U "warn" (not coach) the defense that it is a foul to take a cheap shot at an offense player. If after the warning, the defense inappropriately contacts an offense after the knee is down, then I've got a problem with that player.

We've all seen it and can usually guess the player that will do this. Maybe we can't stop the action, but we should do everything we can to discourage this behavior and we should flag it immediately.

The real test is at the end of the season, the last game, a team on defense that has absolutely nothing to lose!