How do you feel like Rpo's are officiated (lineman being down field) in HS
- Thread starter Mofan79
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I struggle with how often they throw holds to lineman downfield I feel like they don't pay attention to all where its happening and just really focus on hand placement but I have never worn the stripes so maybe I'm wrong
In my experience, they miss those calls about 90% of the time, even when that rule is a point of emphasis. I do think that if they are in doubt or it's really close, they shouldn't call it, but most of the time when I've seen it, there isn't any room for doubt. Having said this, though, if I were in their shoes I'd probably miss calls, too; you're asked to look at a lot of stuff simultaneously. Maybe it should be mandatory for all coaches, parents, and spectators to officiate at least once. Or at least allow the officials to come to their place of work and rudely heckle them.
When they are throwing a slant and your LBs have linemen in their face immediately before the ball is thrown, oftentimes already blocking them, that's when I feel like it's least stupid. When you have a TE or other back that is ineligible by position running routes down the field, it's also not stupid in that case. If you're throwing a 40 yard deep ball and a lineman accidentally treks a little too far, maybe it's ok to keep the flag in the pocket. Though, of course on the sideline, I'd still be asking for a consistent (or even existent in most cases) application of the rule in a polite tone of voice.
It must be a difficult call to see. I have often offered my help to referees but without acceptance. I would say over 50% of the time it is missed.
Haven't had near as much trouble with that one as 1) TE/WR being covered up and the officials not even being able to identify it (which is not a judgment issue, it is a mechanics issue), and 2) refusing to call intentional grounding (which just comes from them watching too much TV).
I heard an offensive coach tell his offensive line, "do not worry about being downfield, the refs rarely call it".
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I agree with him completely, they rarely ever call it.
It is like a QB getting tripped up, falling onto one knee then the second knee, reach up and hand it off, RB gains 1.5 for a 1st, and the officials did not see the QB on his knees. (TrueStory, at Adrian, 2018)
And
I agree with him completely, they rarely ever call it.
It is like a QB getting tripped up, falling onto one knee then the second knee, reach up and hand it off, RB gains 1.5 for a 1st, and the officials did not see the QB on his knees. (TrueStory, at Adrian, 2018)
I agree that it is hard for the officials to see at times. I also feel that it is never consistent. I always feel that if it is called early in the game it sets the precedent that the officials are on top of it, therefore the offensive team that uses these "rule bending" type tactics may dial it down a bit.
I once saw a QB turn the wrong way on a running play, scramble and throw a TD pass with a lineman 6 yards into the end zone. That wouldn’t have been a stupid penalty.
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As an official that gives a damn... you better do your homework on what teams on your schedule run the RPO and get some game film on them before you call their game. Agree with most of you that replied that yes, we officials are inconsistent on this and sometimes embarrassingly inconsistent. The umpire and wing officials need to be on the same page and know exactly what to watch for. Jackson runs it to perfection and like most teams, they stretch the boundary on how far down the field a lineman can be without being downfield if that makes sense. Great team and challenging to officiate.
Also as an official, I agree with what you wrote. Well said!
Just so you know the point of this thread was not to pick on you guys but see if it was pretty standard for this to be missed during the game. In an ideal world which official is making this call?
I like approaching this thread from the "Lets pick on the refs" viewpoint and not your original one. Plus @Cards1968 was wanting to spice things up as well. Here's his chance!
Well you really let the air out of that tire
Nice try, Joe! As my lawyer @J.Moxon has stated on here SEVERAL times, that video would NOT hold up in a court of law.
The umpire, the two wings or even back judge if he sees ineligible #'s downfield. The main thing for a crew is the get the play correct. Having coached and officiated, both are tough jobs.
What I find more maddening from officials than this is that they hardly ever throw Holding flags on Spread teams...ever.... no matter if it is a run or pass. On the flip side if it's a more traditional offense then You can bet your Lolilipop that on a big run play that the Flag will come out or on a 3rd down Pass play same thing.
It really is like two different games are being called if you have a Spread team versus a Traditional Offense....We run the spread, but a wing-t team or Veer team is going to get the short end of the stick from zebra's that is a fact.
I see it all the time a OL can't block a Defender and just resorts to jersey grabbing or a bear hug and the flags are rarely thrown...maybe officials on a subconscious level don't want to throw flag after flag, not unlike BB officials who let hack and slash defensive teams go because they don't want to call flags all night long.
It really is like two different games are being called if you have a Spread team versus a Traditional Offense....We run the spread, but a wing-t team or Veer team is going to get the short end of the stick from zebra's that is a fact.
I see it all the time a OL can't block a Defender and just resorts to jersey grabbing or a bear hug and the flags are rarely thrown...maybe officials on a subconscious level don't want to throw flag after flag, not unlike BB officials who let hack and slash defensive teams go because they don't want to call flags all night long.
Officials should throw flags that affect the play as instructed from our officials lead our officials organization. If a foul doesn't affect the play, we won't throw a flag. We tell the coaches in pregame that we will call the fouls that matter. Our crew has done this for years.
I hate that large linemen, again, particularly in the spread, seemingly get a pass with their hand placement. They have a size advantage and now they are given a technique advantage. They grab the outside of the shoulder pads and just steer the defensive lineman outside the frame of his body with wads of cloth in their hands. They have gained an advantage; call it, Mr. Official. Then, on the other hand, a receiver or back will crush a dude and put him on his back with great technique and hands inside the frame and get called for a hold often, especially if it's in the open field.
That is the Problem. Having lineman down field on a pass play almost always affects the play. Defensive players know the rules. If a lineman is coming down field to block a safety or linebacker defensive players play it like a run play, and the ball gets thrown over the top. If any ineligible player goes more that 3 yards down field it should be a penalty every time. Officiating is a hard job and everyone misses things, but there is a reason this was a point of emphasis.
I will agree that this is good philosophy for most fouls. I would assume that player safety and sportsmanship fouls are the exception. I will also say that most officials in my experience think they are doing this when they ignore a rule.
Wasn't a problem back when everybody used the flipper technique!
oh the flipper technique....passing was so much harder back then. Some of us old guys who remember being taught that were talking about this the other day, holding was so much easier to call back then you got a hand on somebody you were probable going to get called.....
