It's about that time again...NCAA Football officiating, 2014

[Berkut]

So this year I've officially moved to the referee position permanently. I am the junior referee for the organization, so I won't get the better games, and my crew will probably be "interesting".


So when assignment came out, the good news was that I would have a crew, rather that being supplemental, which was good.


The bad news was


1. My crew was not complete - I had a R (myself), U (second year guy, first year as U), a HL (Great guy about 70 years old, has been officiating for longer than I've been alive, and could run me into the ground probably), a L (another new guy, but I helped recruit him to college myself, he is good, but out of shape), and a FJ (guy I've worked with a lot, ex-military, great guy, basically terrible official. Knows the rules, been around a long time, has a bad habit of just checking out of the game during critical moments, and getting the crew into all kinds of trouble). No BJ< no SJ.
2. The FJ really is very bad - he would not be working if we were not so short of people.


So I get my game assignments, and 2 out of the 5 people on my crew don't accept them after a few weeks. I run into my L at one of Jakes LL games, he does baseball, and ask him what is up. "Oh, I have game assignments? I told them I could not do football this year..." Wonderful, down to 4.


Call the FJ, finally get in touch with him. He send me an email - "Hey, sorry I didn't get in touch with you, but I am giving up college football officiating. Just not worth it anymore".


So that is kind of good news - he really was terrible.


But now my "crew" of nominally 7 is down to 3.


I will get fill ins, but it means I won't really have a crew per se - just an ad hoc group from week to week, and we won't really be able to gel or get better as a team.


Kind of sucks. But I can't control that, so what I can do is make sure me and my umpire are as prepared as possible anyway.


So we have out clinic this weekend. This is a "no rules change" year, since the NCAA committed to only having rules changes every other year. So in "off" years they are only allowed to change rules for safety reasons.


But what they do is they have "editorial" changes instead - we aren't changing the rules, just how they are interpreted! Or how penalties are handled! Which of course is total bullshit, if you change how something is penalized, that is certainly a rule. But whatever.


Rules changes this year in college football:

1. Rules 9-1-3 and 9-1-4, Targeting Fouls (FR-87)
Removal of the yardage penalty upon overturn of the player disqualification
The following is added to the penalty statements of Rules 9-1-3 and 9-1-4 (FR-87):
"When the Instant Replay Official reverses the disqualification:
If the targeting foul is not accompanied by another personal foul, the 15-yard penalty for targeting is not enforced. If another personal foul is committed in conjunction with the targeting foul, the 15-yard penalty for that personal foul is enforced according to rule."

Good change. If we are going to review these and overturn the DQ, then presumably we should over-turn the penalty as well.

2. Rules 9-1-3 and 9-1-4, Targeting Fouls (FR-87)
Games without Instant Replay: halftime video review
Add to the Penalty statement of Rules 9-1-3 and 9-1-4 (FR-87):
"If a player is disqualified in the first half, at the option of the conference or by pre-game mutual agreement of the teams in inter-conference games, during the intermission between halves the referee will be provided a video of the play in question for his review in the officials' private secure location. The referee will review the video to determine whether the disqualification is reversed. The decision of the referee is final.
Note: The video source and the location of the review will be determined prior to the game through mutual agreement of the teams and the referee."

Oh, this is just fucking great. My first official year as a ref, and I am going to get to deal with coaches asking me to go in at half time and review targetting fouls.

First message in pre-game: No targeting fouls allowed during the first half!This is going to be a mess, if it comes up. The schools around here aren't going to be equipped, and it is going to take forever to handle this. And you know I am going to get asked to review all kinds of other crap at half time as well.Fun.

3. Rule 9-1-9, Roughing the Passer (FR-90)Low hits on passersAdd new paragraph b. (The current article becomes paragraph a.)"When an offensive player is in a passing posture with one or both feet on the ground, no defensive player rushing unabated shall hit him forcibly at the knee area or below. The defensive player also may not initiate a roll or lunge and forcibly hit this opponent in the knee area or below. [Exceptions. (1) It is not a foul if the offensive player is a runner not in a passing posture, either inside or outside the tackle box. (2) It is not a foul if the defender grabs or wraps this opponent in an attempt to make a conventional tackle. (3) It is not a foul if the defender is not rushing unabated or is blocked or fouled into this opponent.]"

This one is interesting - basically it amounts to taking away hits to a QB's knees and lower if you come in free, as long as the QB is in a passing posture - once he starts scrambling, too bad. I don't mind the idea behind this, but it is really starting to feel like QBs are made out of crystal. You can't hit them high, you can't hit them low...

A bunch of "editorial" changes as well - more rules on dealing with coaches and sidelines. Some clarifications on in and out of bounds players to close up some weird loopholes, and "clarification" (which is really a out and out rule change) on how personal foul penalties are assessed on passing plays.

Should be an interesting year...

[grumbler]

Good luck with all that.  I'd not have the patience for dealing with the coaches.