how many officials in football

NFL officials have said that inflated balls should be in a range between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch, but the latest report indicates that the pressures of 11 Patriots game balls were below that range. Players may not make illegal contact with the passer while the ball is in flight. The fourth official's assistance also includes: supervising the substitution procedure; checking a player's/substitute's equipment The NFL switched the umpire in 2010 and a year later, experimented with eight-person crews. Originally Answered: How many referees handle football matches? In 2007, Sarah Thomas became the first woman to officiate a major college football game, working a game between Memphis and Jacksonville State. The side judge is the official positioned 20 yards deep in the defensive backfield near the same sideline as the head linesman. [30] The eighth official did not return in 2019. The NFL announced on Tuesday the hiring of 10 new on-field game officials for the . There are 17 laws of the game that officials . Regulations also stipulate the dimensions of the goal post and field markings. The referee will place this marking on the side of the ball, on the corner of the non-insignia panels. They are responsible for watching over the line of scrimmage, reviewing player equipment, and counting the number of players on the field. Its simply not possible to officiate every game in real time. NFL referees work 20-24 hours a week, which is equivalent to three days at a typical 9-to-5 job. The NFL has also amended its rule book to emphasize second acts by defenders who hit the quarterback. Some players collect game balls and keep them for years after the game. The goal itself consists of a frame measuring 8 feet high and 8 yards wide. The teams coaches were also able to discuss the officiating crew with players. [14] Some states have revised their high school officials manuals to also use the term head line-judge.[15]. The ball is placed at the two-yard line after the game, and after a touchdown, the offense can attempt to score two points. He watches the quarterback, and makes sure. The opponents two-yard line is the first stop in a football game. During the start of passing plays, they watch the receivers near their sideline to a point five to seven yards beyond the line of scrimmage. Advantages to this system include being able to eliminate unqualified officials simply by not offering them a contract the following season, where terminating full-time employees would require them to show cause. Like the side judge and the field judge, the back judge rules on pass interference, illegal blocks downfield, and incomplete passes. They also watch the sideline to determine if a player is in or out of bounds. Because the referee is responsible for the general supervision of the game, the position is sometimes referred to as head referee or crew chief.[1][2][3]. In Major League Soccer (MLS), three officials make up the crew members who will oversee the match: a referee and two assistants. For years, college football referees were prohibited from announcing the number of a fouling player, except in the Western Athletic Conference and Mountain West Conference (and in all conferences when ejecting the offending player). The back judge is also responsible for ruling a "delay of game" infraction if the play clock expires. Football officials enforce the rules of the gameand, as such, are usually the people whodraw the most ire from coaches, players and fans. For more information on the responsibilities of a referee, consult the law 5 of the Laws of the Game. In 1979, the referees changed to black hats with white stripes, while the other officials continued to wear white ones. These looser-fitting pants allow for layering of warmer clothes underneath. since 1994. During punts and field goals, the referee observes the kicker (and holder) and any contact made by defenders approaching them. There is the referee, umpire, line judge, side judge, down judge, back judge, field judge and replay official. The NFL has launched an investigation into this process after reports surfaced that several balls were underinflated. One of the roles of the back judge is to make sure the defensive team has no more than 11 players on the field. To understand a bit more about the four officials that make up the referee team in a soccer match, we will be going over their roles and responsibilities in this section of the article: Starting off at the top, the Head Referee is in charge of overseeing and enforcing the rules of the game in play. A referee is appointed to a football game in order to apply the Laws of the Game so that it is played fairly and safely. The side judge (S or SJ) works downfield behind the defensive secondary on the same sideline as the head linesman or down judge. Finally, in 1988, the NFL switched to the high-school and college football convention: the referee wears a white hat (with the NFL logo since Super Bowl XXXIX), and the other officials wear black hats with white stripes. The position of side judges can change throughout the game, depending on how a specific team uses the formation. The NFL has made some changes to the rules regarding the handling of game balls. On offense, a back judge might line up on the strong side of the offensive formation, and a side judge may be on the weak side of an offensive formation. What does a referee do? In addition to the general equipment listed above, the head linesman/down judge also carries a chain clip that is used by the chain crew to properly place the chains and ensure an accurate spot when measuring for a first down. They also met with the crews captain and coordinator to discuss how they would react in different scenarios. The back judge stands in the defensive backfield in the middle of the field. Incidental contact is not a violation. Taylors plan was to deliver two more game balls to other bars. It is also used by the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference. After the game, they are recycled or donated. The line judge assists the head linesman on making calls of illegal motion, illegal shifts, offsides or encroachment. Football Official The seven officials in an NFL game include: The Referee. The field judge, side judge, and back judge become the trail/back positions, and the referee, head linesman/down judge, and line judge then become the lead/front positions. Similar to the head linesman, he rules on out of bounds plays for his sideline. The field judge is the official that lines up 25 yards deep in the defensive backfield on the tight end side of the field. Historically, American football officials have been men. Reserve Referees. The alternate judge will also help spot the ball. The United States Football League, which played from February to July in its three-season existence from 1983 to 1985, allowed officials to wear black shorts for warm-weather games. For years, the NFL and NCAA used seven-person crews. The referee can be identified by a white cap, while the other officials wear black caps (the hat color scheme was reversed in the NFL from 1979 to 1987, and in Canadian football until 2019). In college football, the side judge is responsible for either the game clock or the play clock, which are operated by an assistant that the side judge directs. They also make the most dangerous officiating positions in the league, with five major injuries occurring during the 2009 preseason. There are now 2,146 women refereeing across all levels of the sport. But despite the low pressure, the ball did not feel soft. Officials are usually referred to by the general term of referees, but actually, there is only one referee on the field during a game. The lineup of officials usually includes the Head Referee, the two Assistant Referees, the Fourth Offical, and then a Video Assistant Referee. After a flag is thrown, officials will signal the reason for the flag. In addition to that, the NFL requires teams to open six new footballs in their locker room two hours prior to the game, and they must be specially marked. It must be in tiptop shape and inflated properly. The back judge watches all eligible receivers on the wide receiver side of the field. [47][42], In 2019, the AAF had three female officials. This article is a list of American football officials who have experience working National Football League (NFL) games. Once theyre checked, theyre used to start the game and are changed before each half. A letter indicating the role of each official appears on the back of the shirt at some levels, while NFL officials have numbers with a small letter or letters above. Next time you watch a match, keep an eye out for the four officials and watch them work their magic on the pitch! The ball is placed at the opponents two-yard line after a touchdown. Makes any announcements during the game like penalties or other clarifications. Henri Christophe. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. CFL referees, unlike their counterparts in the NFL and American college football, identify the team committing the foul when announcing penalty enforcement, instead of using "offense" or defense".[10]. They have also notified the game officials of their plans. Each penalty in football has a referee signal associated with it. After the flag is thrown and play has stopped, the officials will discuss and announce the final penalty call to coaches, players, and fans. Watches the line of scrimmage for holding, illegal blocks, or other penalties. Any of the seven referees can throw flags onto the field. Rules on pass interference or holding downfield. Start between the hash marks, Keeps track of 40- or 25-second game clock and manages all television breaks, Starts in the middle and reads the initial action by the Left Guard, Center and Right Guard, Once a BJ reads run, they focus on the 1st level action looking for holding by the Defense, As the play progresses, they go to the 2nd level looking for holding by the Offense, Finally, they go to the primary threat of foul, Once a BJ reads pass, they go to the #2 or #3 receiver based on the formation, Once the ball is released the BJ immediately goes to the where the pass is thrown, Kickoffs Lines up on the Kickers restraining line and ensures KO team is lined up correctly, Responsible for Kicking team not being offside prior to the kick, Punts Position 7-10 yards behind the receiver between the hash marks, Rules on fair catch and fair catch infractions and all other rules that pertain to scrimmage kicks, Lines up under goal posts to rule whether field goals and extra points are good, Defensive backfield, 20 yards behind the LOS toward the same side of the field as the line judge, Watches receiver split widest on nearest side of the field for illegal use of hands and blocking fouls, and for penalties on defensive back covering him, Watches widest receiver block, looking for illegal use of hands or holding, If play goes to nearest side of field, determines if runner goes out of bounds, Focuses on widest receiver on nearest side of the field to make sure the player is able to run his route without defensive interference, If play goes to nearest side, rules on whether pass is complete, On opposite sideline from down judge, looking directly down the LOS, Rules on plays near the sideline on nearest half of the field, Primarily in the Offensive backfield, opposite the referee, 15 yards deep and just outside the normal Tight End position, Maintains control of the game by directly engaging and advising the players throughout the game, Counts the number of offensive players on the field, Marks off penalty yardage and ensures its accuracy, Digs in piles after fumbles to determine which Player/Team has possession, Before the snap, watches for false starts by the Center, Left or Right Guard, Watches the Center, Left Guard, Left Tackle, monitors their actions and those of the defenders engaged with them, Assists the Referee with ruling on action around or to the QB/Passer, Punts - Positions a s few yards behind the Punter, as wide as the Left Tackle, Watches for infractions by the Center and two Guards, Field Goal/Point After Touchdown Positions a few yards behind the Holder, to his right side, Watches for infractions in and around the strong side of the defensive rush.