Comments on the 2014 football rules changes

[ajmc]

Originally Posted by HLin NC

Being RIGHT ON TOP of the play doesn't mean you don't/can't miss something.
A player was down and
out of bounds when B player hit him and it was avoidable.

I've got another from same field, different game where the LJ flags a hold to spring the runner but then misses the spearing on the runner after he's down. He was right on top of it too.

As technology continues to improve, perhaps by the time we get to having an 8th official assigned to HS games, that new position will be an official hovering above the field of play, with the capability to slow the view of all the action down, but until then we're going to have to suffer with just 5, 6 or maybe 7 people watching 22 players, in the best position possible.

Earlier on, the question was raised, "How do you judge intent?", and I would submit, as difficult as that may be, it's a lot more likely to discern at ground level, relatively close to the play, than it is from up high looking down on the action. "Intent" will always be a judgment call, and always depend on knowledge, experience common sense and the courage to act on what those factors provide.