We’re in the thick of the season now with league play in full swing. Our officiating across the board has been stronger week in and week out – but league play means even larger emphasis on how we handle ourselves, how we enforce the rules, and how we prepare for our games. Let’s continue raising the standard to meet the importance of the next month of the season as teams vie for league titles and playoff appearances.

Overtime Procedures
Greg Truex sent out an email to all CFOA members today outlining proper overtime mechanics and responsibilities. You can also find this on our website sfvfootballunit.org under Forms and Resources. If you haven’t reviewed it yet, make sure you do. Every crew should designate someone on their crew to be the overtime expert – though all officials should take the time to read and understand the process. Don’t wait until it’s 28-28 at the end of regulation to start figuring things out.

Ineligible Downfield Rule
This is one of the hardest calls to get right and one of the easiest to get wrong. The only way to be consistent is to approach it with discipline. Use a two-step process: First, identify an ineligible lineman clearly downfield (we want to see them 3+ yards beyond the line of scrimmage before we consider IDP. Then, find the ball. If the quarterback still has the ball in hand and then throws a legal forward pass that crosses the neutral zone untouched, throw your flag. If the ball is already in flight by the time you find it, hold the flag – the player more times than not was legal at the time the ball was released. Let’s make sure our calls are both correct and consistent.

Official-to-Official Banter
Remember, you can’t quote silence. Last week, a photographer overheard two of our officials talking on the sideline about how they didn’t want the game to go to overtime. The photographer then asked them which team they were rooting for. Even if it’s just joking around, it opens the door for unnecessary embarrassment for you and the entire association. Stay professional. Save it for after the game.

Game Management and Unnecessary Roughness
We’ve had many games escalate due to late hits and unnecessary roughness situations. This needs to be cleaned up. Diving on players already down, supplex tackles, take-down holds, and shots well behind the play are not part of football. The game is violent enough without allowing extra. Throw the flag early in the game to set the tone and prevent bigger issues later. Trust what you see, and don’t talk yourself out of fouls that clearly cross the line.

Kicking game enforcement
Take the time to slow down and enforce fouls on kicking plays correctly. Things can get convoluted quickly. Fouls during free kicks are enforced from the previous spot in almost all cases. Fouls during scrimmage kicks may qualify for PSK – review what the PSK requirements are. Fouls during the return in both cases are enforced as normal. We have had a few instances of fouls by R during the free kick enforced from succeeding spot. Take the time to slow down and identify when the foul occurred so that our enforcements are right.

Illegal Participation and Deception
You may have seen the Oklahoma deception play against Auburn last weekend. Be ready for a high school team to try to copy it. Remember, deception plays in NFHS are illegal by rule. The reference is 9-6-4-d: ‘It is illegal participation to use a player, replaced player, substitute, coach, athletic trainer or other attendant in a substitution or pretended substitution to deceive opponents at or immediately before the snap or free kick.” The penalty is live-ball illegal participation, enforced 15-yards from the previous spot. 

Good luck this week and be ready from the opening whistle

As we reach the midpoint of the regular season, it’s a good time to reflect on how you and your crew have grown from Week 0 to now. Don’t be afraid to review your game film and look for areas to improve and areas of success to replicate. 

Speed vs. Efficiency

One area we need to be intentional about is penalty administration. Our goal is not to be fast for the sake of speed, but to be efficient in getting the call right. Work together as a crew to confirm all relevant information before stepping off the enforcement. Move quickly, but not at the expense of accuracy. Efficient doesn’t mean rushed.

Start of League Play
This week marks the beginning of league play for many teams. Emotions will be higher than usual as schools looking to make a run at a league title aim to start strong. In many of these games, players on both sides may know each other personally. Be especially aware of potential sportsmanship issues – what may look like trash talk might be joking among friends, but we are going to assume it’s taunting unless proven otherwise. Warn players early. If they tell you they’re just joking around or that they’re friends with the opponent, remind them that we are not going to guess whether they’re friends or not. They need to keep that kind of banter within their own team.

Lightning Protocol
It looks like the rain will stop before our kickoffs, nonetheless it’s a good time to review NFHS lightning safety procedures. When lightning is seen or thunder is heard, suspend the game immediately and clear the field. Do not resume play until 30 minutes have passed since the last sound of thunder or visible lightning strike. Talk with game management early so you’re on the same page should delays occur. We want to make every effort to finish the game, as long as school administration is prepared to wait out the weather. Stay in communication and follow their lead. As on-field officials, we will never make the decision to go home for the night due to weather. This is a game administration decision. If this becomes a problem in real time, make every effort to get in touch with one of Danny Vargas, Dwayne Finley, Jessie Tibana or myself.

Holding
We spent a lot of time in our Tuesday meeting this week reviewing different categories and levels of holding. Let’s put that into practice. Be consistent from the opening kick to the final whistle. The holds you call early set the standard for the rest of the night, make sure that standard is one you’re confident in holding throughout the game. On the subject of holding, along with our pass interference calls, it is vital that you process the action and are able to put it into one of our categories as discussed on Tuesday. If you cannot place the action into a category, it is almost certainly not a foul for holding or pass interference.

020 Usage
The use of radios on the field has increased our efficiency as officials. They are great tools for communicating standard penalty enforcement issues and basic adjustments. However, we have become overly reliant on the 020s during atypical situations. If there are multiple fouls, an unusual ruling, or something outside the norm, get together face to face. Talk it through directly with the Referee. There is no substitute for a direct conversation when accuracy matters most.

Keep pushing yourself and your crew to get better each week. Our standard in San Fernando is high because we know every crew is capable of being great out there; our goal is to meet that standard every time we step on the field. Good luck this week – the season is flying by and will be over before we know it!

Week 4 Focus

We’re three weeks into the season and league play is right around the corner. The goal this week is to raise our standard one step higher. My challenge to you is to pick one thing to improve on in this week’s game; if everyone on the field improves at one small aspect of their game, that’s becomes a big positive impact on the overall crew.

NFHS Loss of Down and Automatic First Down
It is always a good reminder to review these throughout the season. Remember NFHS rules are not the same as college or pro. Our list of fouls with a loss of down or an automatic first down is very short and it’s easy for coaches to get confused with what they see on TV. We need be confident in our knowledge to ensure proper enforcement. Our automatic first down fouls are our roughing calls – Roughing the passer, snapper, kicker. Loss of down fouls are Illegal Forward Pass, Illegal Touching, Illegal Forward Handing.

Clock Awareness
Continue to emphasize clock management with operators. Review the 5-and-5 standard before every game. Make sure the operator knows how to quickly fix errors. This season has seen a lot of clock operators who seem inexperienced. Take the time before the game to work with them as best you can to hopefully help the game itself go smoother.

Free Kicks

There have been some questions regarding where to stand in the CFOA free kick mechanic is that was implemented last year. See below for clarification; this can also be found on page 20 of the CFOA Mechanics Manual.

B – K Restraining line

H – R Restraining line (opposite the L)

L – R Restraining line (opposite the H)

U – Team R pylon (same side as L)

R – Team R goalline near bottom of the numbers (same side as H)

*U has discretion to move up as far as the 20 if the kicker is not able to kick to the goal line

**R and U both need to be able to cover their respective pylons.

Crew Enforcements

Remember, enforcements are the responsibility of the entire crew. If you have information, bring it to the attention of your crew in the moment. Last night, I personally forgot to assess a foul by K at the succeeding spot and nearly declined the foul. Thankfully, my crew corrected me and we were able to get it right. If something doesn’t seem right, bring it up; you very well may be the only one on the field that has it correct – and your crewmates will thank you for it.

SFV Website

Please take the time to visit the new website at sfvfootballunit.org. Thank you to Andy Green for providing the fresh new look and maintain it. Andy has added a members area that you can access with the password ‘member25’ – here you will have access to presentations from past meetings, documents such as the mechanics manual and copies of past unit communications. If there are any suggestions on what content you’d like to see please let us know.

Thank you,
Jon Stein

ArbiterSports <messaging@arbitersports.com>	Fri, Sep 12, 8:37 AM
to me

Week 4 Focus
We’re three weeks into the season and league play is right around the corner. The goal this week is to raise our standard one step higher. My challenge to you is to pick one thing to improve on in this week’s game; if everyone on the field improves at one small aspect of their game, that’s becomes a big positive impact on the overall crew.

NFHS Loss of Down and Automatic First Down
It is always a good reminder to review these throughout the season. Remember NFHS rules are not the same as college or pro. Our list of fouls with a loss of down or an automatic first down is very short and it’s easy for coaches to get confused with what they see on TV. We need be confident in our knowledge to ensure proper enforcement. Our automatic first down fouls are our roughing calls – Roughing the passer, snapper, kicker. Loss of down fouls are Illegal Forward Pass, Illegal Touching, Illegal Forward Handing.

Clock Awareness
Continue to emphasize clock management with operators. Review the 5-and-5 standard before every game. Make sure the operator knows how to quickly fix errors. This season has seen a lot of clock operators who seem inexperienced. Take the time before the game to work with them as best you can to hopefully help the game itself go smoother.

Free Kicks

There have been some questions regarding where to stand in the CFOA free kick mechanic is that was implemented last year. See below for clarification; this can also be found on page 20 of the CFOA Mechanics Manual.

B – K Restraining line

H – R Restraining line (opposite the L)

L – R Restraining line (opposite the H)

U – Team R pylon (same side as L)

R – Team R goal line near bottom of the numbers (same side as H)

*U has discretion to move up as far as the 20 if the kicker is not able to kick to the goal line

**R and U both need to be able to cover their respective pylons.

Crew Enforcements

Remember, enforcements are the responsibility of the entire crew. If you have information, bring it to the attention of your crew in the moment. Last night I personally forgot to assess a foul by K at the succeeding spot and nearly declined the foul. Thankfully, my crew corrected me and we were able to get it right. If something doesn’t seem right, bring it up; you very well may be the only one on the field that has it correct – and your crewmates will thank you for it.

SFV Website

Please take the time to visit the new website at sfvfootballunit.org. Thank you to Andy Green for providing the fresh new look and maintain it. Andy has added a members area that you can access with the password ‘member25’ – here you will have access to presentations from past meetings, documents such as the mechanics manual and copies of past unit communications. If there are any suggestions on what content you’d like to see please let us know.

We’re three weeks into the season and league play is right around the corner. The goal this week is to raise our standard one step higher. My challenge to you is to pick one thing to improve on in this week’s game; if everyone on the field improves at one small aspect of their game, that’s becomes a big positive impact on the overall crew.

NFHS Loss of Down and Automatic First Down
It is always a good reminder to review these throughout the season. Remember NFHS rules are not the same as college or pro. Our list of fouls with a loss of down or an automatic first down is very short and it’s easy for coaches to get confused with what they see on TV. We need be confident in our knowledge to ensure proper enforcement. Our automatic first down fouls are our roughing calls – Roughing the passer, snapper, kicker. Loss of down fouls are Illegal Forward Pass, Illegal Touching, Illegal Forward Handing.

Clock Awareness
Continue to emphasize clock management with operators. Review the 5-and-5 standard before every game. Make sure the operator knows how to quickly fix errors. This season has seen a lot of clock operators who seem inexperienced. Take the time before the game to work with them as best you can to hopefully help the game itself go smoother.

Free Kicks

There have been some questions regarding where to stand in the CFOA free kick mechanic is that was implemented last year. See below for clarification; this can also be found on page 20 of the CFOA Mechanics Manual.

B – K Restraining line

H – R Restraining line (opposite the L)

L – R Restraining line (opposite the H)

U – Team R pylon (same side as L)

R – Team R goal line near bottom of the numbers (same side as H)

*U has discretion to move up as far as the 20 if the kicker is not able to kick to the goal line

**R and U both need to be able to cover their respective pylons.

Crew Enforcements

Remember, enforcements are the responsibility of the entire crew. If you have information, bring it to the attention of your crew in the moment. Last night I personally forgot to assess a foul by K at the succeeding spot and nearly declined the foul. Thankfully, my crew corrected me and we were able to get it right. If something doesn’t seem right, bring it up; you very well may be the only one on the field that has it correct – and your crewmates will thank you for it.

SFV Website

Please take the time to visit the new website at sfvfootballunit.org. Thank you to Andy Green for providing the fresh new look and maintain it. Andy has added a members area that you can access with the password ‘member25’ – here you will have access to presentations from past meetings, documents such as the mechanics manual and copies of past unit communications. If there are any suggestions on what content you’d like to see please let us know.

Apologies for the lengthy bulletin this week but there is a lot to cover – please take the time to read through.

We’re now two weeks into the season and starting to settle in. The improvement from Week 0 to Week 1 was noticeable, and now the challenge is to keep that progress going. Consistency is the key. Bring the same focus, preparation, and energy every week. Crews that keep refining their communication and mechanics will see the game slow down and their confidence grow.

Mechanics
Mechanics aren’t optional. They’re the foundation of good officiating. We’ve already seen improvement, but there’s still work to be done. Take time this week to review the mechanics for the position you’re working. Start in the right spot, use proper signals, and handle your coverage responsibilities with discipline. Clean, sharp mechanics show professionalism and give coaches, players, and your crewmates confidence that you’re in control of the game. It is evident on film when the crew is working as one unit vs. five individuals.

Film Review
We’ve now got a good amount of film from the first two weeks. Make sure you’re watching not just your own work, but also how other crews are handling mechanics, communication, and situations. Pick out the positives you want to copy and the mistakes you want to avoid. Film is one of the best tools we have to improve – use it. Additionally, for your knowledge, I request on Hudl the game film from every school we officiate every week at all levels – this is a time consuming process but has been extremely effective the past few years – I still suggest you mention film to the coaches in pregame and let them know to expect a request from us.

Customer Service Mindset
How we communicate with coaches and players matters just as much as the calls we make. Your tone, body language, and demeanor go a long way toward defusing tense situations. Be approachable, calm, and professional. Listen first, then respond clearly and confidently. Our credibility on the field depends on it.

Dead-Ball Officiating
Most preventable problems happen after the whistle. Keep your eyes on players until they separate. Hustle to get between opponents when needed and use your presence to calm things down before they escalate. Presence and communication usually fix issues better than flags. Recall that players are not to make spectacles and draw attention to themselves in high school football. Use the guide of Prolonged, Directed (at an opponent) or Choreographed. Don’t allow taunting, baiting, or language directed at opponents or officials. At the same time, recognize normal excitement and emotion that doesn’t cross the line. Use good judgment, be consistent, and back up your crew when these calls are made.

Sideline Management
This continues to be a point of emphasis. Officials working the sidelines need to be firm about keeping coaches and players behind the restricted area. Handle it early and handle it often. Waiting until the game is heated makes it much tougher. Set the tone from the opening kickoff. This is for your safety and theirs.

ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS

Heat Delays and Water

Heat was an issue for contests yesterday and could be again today and into tomorrow. Defer to the school staff on whether CIF rules allow play at that time. Be flexible with time – if the game has to be delayed we are expected to stay within reason. If you have another game from the San Fernando Unit that you will be late for contact Danny Vargas asap. The schools are required to have credentialed officials for their contests – the rules also allow coaches to mutually agree to shorten quarters. This is an option if the delay is significant enough that officials would not be able to stay and Danny is not able to accommodate the school with other officials.

Referees should be meeting the sideline trainers of both teams before every game. Instruct them to inform the crew if they see a player that needs to be attended to. It is not always the case that a significant injury is caused by a big hit that everyone sees. Empower the professionals on site. Same goes for heat illness – on hot days instruct the trainers to inform the crew if they see signs of heat illness or feel an additional water break is necessary. As a crew you also have the authority to take a Referee timeout at any time that you feel a water break is necessary. I suggest aiming to do this near the middle of the quarter and after a change of possession – unless absolutely necessary for player safety do not take an artificial timeout in an instance that alters the momentum of the game.

Conflicting Game Assignments

You are all independent contractors and responsible for your own availability. Please ensure your blocks and the games you accept allow for the natural delays that can occur during a football game – including traffic traveling to and from. We should not have officials artificially speeding up games or leaving contests early to work a game for another unit. We have already had multiple instances of this occurring in the first two weeks. It is not fair to the players in your first game if you leave early, nor is it fair to the players in your second game if you arrive late. If you take a schedule that might leave you in this predicament it is necessary that you inform Danny and allow him to determine if it is appropriate to leave you on the game or replace you to ensure all games are properly covered.

Lower Level Clock Rules

Clock rules are prescribed in the rule book. The clock stops on a change of possession by rule and starts upon the next snap. Officials have zero authority to alter this basic concept unless we are operating under the running clock provisions.

The unit has made one exception to this, in coordination with the Foothill League ADs to run the clock on change of possessions when there are double headers and 3 hours or less between contests. This is because the league and coaches have been adamant over the years that they want the varsity game to start on time. In pregame conferences with the coaches you should remind them of this.

The standard is to run the game as normal for the first possession by each team. Then run on change of possessions until the last 2 minutes of the first half and last 5 minutes of the second half (if the game is at all in doubt).

For singular lower level games there is no policy to alter the timing rules. As stated above, NFHS rules do allow by mutual agreement the shortening of the quarters. For most kids at the frosh and JV levels this season is one of their only opportunities to get on a football field. We often talk about how limited our season is as officials – for the players on these teams it’s 10 games maximum – and for most kids on a frosh team it’s significantly less playing time than that.

Final Note
Game 3 is about locking in good habits. Keep building on what you’ve done, support your crew, and remember that every snap is a chance to get better. Stay sharp, stay professional, and keep enjoying your time under the Friday Night Lights.