2025 Media Rules Videos

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Originally Posted by IndyBison

I don't expect announcers to be rules experts, but they are the #1 reason most fans (and many players and coaches) don't understand the rules correctly. I use over the back and reaching in as examples all the time when showing how fans base their rules knowledge on the wrong sources. That was the biggest thing I learned quickly when I started learning rules. Having rules analysts helps, but many people choose to dismiss those comments as "covering for the officials" if they disagree with the call or use it as evidence the officials must be terrible if they aren't perfect.

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I do like the additions of the rules experts and think that has been a positive addition to major college and NFL calls. I've seen those guys point out directly when they think the official is wrong or don't agree with the call!

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Originally Posted by IndyBison

I don't expect announcers to be rules experts, but they are the #1 reason most fans (and many players and coaches) don't understand the rules correctly. I use over the back and reaching in as examples all the time when showing how fans base their rules knowledge on the wrong sources. That was the biggest thing I learned quickly when I started learning rules. Having rules analysts helps, but many people choose to dismiss those comments as "covering for the officials" if they disagree with the call or use it as evidence the officials must be terrible if they aren't perfect.

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And even those "rules analysts" or "experts" can have an outdated or incorrect interpretation or understanding. Sport other than football, but there's one "rules expert" out there on a major network who is a retired official and it's painfully obvious that he quit staying current after his retirement and routinely provides incorrect information that's 5-10 years outdated and incorrect.

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Originally Posted by IndyBison

This is last week's video for your viewing enjoyment. I'll try to share these each week.

https://youtu.be/H5G5s31_75s?si=ZjemPQRVloergsQR

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SDSU is going to run out of timeouts by the end of the 1st quarter

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Originally Posted by Bisonguy

And even those "rules analysts" or "experts" can have an outdated or incorrect interpretation or understanding. Sport other than football, but there's one "rules expert" out there on a major network who is a retired official and it's painfully obvious that he quit staying current after his retirement and routinely provides incorrect information that's 5-10 years outdated and incorrect.

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There is a football guy who must have left jaded. Many of his comments are very critical of the officials, and some of his philosophies are counter to what is true.

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Week 1 video. I haven't watched this version yet. There is a training version for us that often has a lot of the same plays.

https://youtu.be/yecgrxRd37k?si=uwjnmTMpawb_MXtf

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Originally Posted by IndyBison

Week 1 video. I haven't watched this version yet. There is a training version for us that often has a lot of the same plays.

https://youtu.be/yecgrxRd37k?si=uwjnmTMpawb_MXtf

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Man, great stuff as always. Really appreciated the kickoff sideline stuff. Also interesting on the screen pass that the 3 yard cusion if from when the QB throws. Is there anything different in rules if the pass is caught behind the LOS?

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Originally Posted by THEsocalledfan

Man, great stuff as always. Really appreciated the kickoff sideline stuff. Also interesting on the screen pass that the 3 yard cusion if from when the QB throws. Is there anything different in rules if the pass is caught behind the LOS?

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If the pass is caught behind the LOS then linemen can be way downfield, receivers can block downfield, etc. That's often why we have to huddle after plays or have late flags. One official may know the lineman was 5 yards downfield when the pass was released, but he has no idea where the pass was first touched. Another official knows where the pass is touched. They get together to share that information and determine if there is a foul.

Sometimes the first official will ask the second where the pass was touched, and the response is "shit, I don't remember." If nobody knows you aren't going to guess and flag it. You just have to take the downgrade if you are wrong. In most cases, the downgrade is bigger if you flag something the grader feels isn't a foul than if you don't flag something the grader feels should have been called.

More often than not, if I see something that may have been a foul, but I pass on it, I'm exonerated when I watch the video. That's why I generally err on the side of not flagging something unless I'm 100% certain. This is what it supervisors and graders want as well. Fewer flags are better for everyone involved in the game.

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Originally Posted by IndyBison

If the pass is caught behind the LOS then linemen can be way downfield, receivers can block downfield, etc. That's often why we have to huddle after plays or have late flags. One official may know the lineman was 5 yards downfield when the pass was released, but he has no idea where the pass was first touched. Another official knows where the pass is touched. They get together to share that information and determine if there is a foul.

Sometimes the first official will ask the second where the pass was touched, and the response is "shit, I don't remember." If nobody knows you aren't going to guess and flag it. You just have to take the downgrade if you are wrong. In most cases, the downgrade is bigger if you flag something the grader feels isn't a foul than if you don't flag something the grader feels should have been called.

More often than not, if I see something that may have been a foul, but I pass on it, I'm exonerated when I watch the video. That's why I generally err on the side of not flagging something unless I'm 100% certain. This is what it supervisors and graders want as well. Fewer flags are better for everyone involved in the game.

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Indy, regarding the expanded neutral zone and the screen pass; the pass must be caught behind the LOS, correct? There is no "cushion" like catching the pass in the expanded NZ.....2 yds in HS football.

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Originally Posted by southcliffbison

Indy, regarding the expanded neutral zone and the screen pass; the pass must be caught behind the LOS, correct? There is no "cushion" like catching the pass in the expanded NZ.....2 yds in HS football.

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The rules are very similar. The ENZ in these plays only exists for the linemen. In both cases, the ball has to be caught in or behind the NZ. The difference is 2 yards in HS and 3 yards in NCAA. And we have to use touching and not the spot of the catch because touching could be a tipped pass by either the offense or defense. In NCAA by philosophy, if the play was an apparent screen pass thrown to a back who is behind the NZ, but the pass is overthrown and falls incomplete, then disregard the IDP foul. Same if the passer throws the ball away outside the tackle box and beyond the NZ. The offense gains no advantage in either case so let them live with the down and no yardage.

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Thank you. Also one other point: On a scrimmage kick where the ball has crossed the NZ and has come to rest beyond the NZ (no touching by K or R), when should the BJ blow the ball dead? I'm asking if a BJ should blow it dead after a second or two (it has stopped rolling) or wait for some dickhead R team member to pick it up and start running?