Where are the Refs from for tonights game

[KNOW IT ALL]

One can only hope the ref's let them play. NOTHING ruins a big game more than a ref crew or one single ref that cannot get enough tv time throwing flags on every play. Be consistent, but let the little shit go!!!! If I were a HC in this game I would get together with the other HC and have at least one serious contact with the FCS asking they speak with the ref crew and share such thoughts. Bad calls are expected here and there but touch calls absolutely ruin a good game.

[IndyBison]

Lots of close calls that went to review didn't go NDSU's way. The only real head scratcher was the kick catch interference. No way should have it been called on #25, MAYBE on Jabril who was standing a few feet away, but I still think that was a bad call.

I didn't see it but from what I heard from officiating friends they agreed. The rule doesn't allow a kicking team player to be within 1 yard in front of the returner until the ball is touched. This is to prevent a defenseless player from getting blown up until he has an opportunity to catch it. You also can't cause the returner to have to run around you to get to the kick while it's still airborne. It sounds like the Bison player just ran past him and wasn't in front of him or prevent him from getting to the ball. Based on what I heard I'm guessing the deep wing who threw the flag got a downgrade on that call.

I did see the catch/no catch on my phone and it did appear there was some movement of the ball but I couldn't tell if the ball touched the ground while loose. I can see why they went with "stands" but I thought they might overturn it. I talked to two different D1 officials and both said they are taught to rule catch when it's that close and that amazing of an effort and let replay overturn if it shows it was obviously wrong. Those are tough either way so I wouldn't be too critical regardless of which way that went.

[EC8CH]

One can only hope the ref's let them play. NOTHING ruins a big game more than a ref crew or one single ref that cannot get enough tv time throwing flags on every play. Be consistent, but let the little shit go!!!!

Illegal block below the waist calls when the defender turns at the last second. I hope the coaching staff talks to the crews before every game about that call. For this game, also remind them to look for illegal man downfield against the Jacks.

[PlainsBison]

Please report back after you've done this. Would like to legitimately hear an unbiased (hopefully) comment on the noise level on the field during gameplay.

Will do down the road.

[Bison 4 Life]

I hate when we have these threads that make Indy defend the entire industry of officials. Puts him in a bad place and his answers are sometimes unsatisfying.

Indy. I think I agree with everyone that what we never want is to get a feeling of "oh shit" when we see who the refs are going to be. They shouldn't be part of the conversation.

[oldmantutters]

I didn't see it but from what I heard from officiating friends they agreed. The rule doesn't allow a kicking team player to be within 1 yard in front of the returner until the ball is touched. This is to prevent a defenseless player from getting blown up until he has an opportunity to catch it. You also can't cause the returner to have to run around you to get to the kick while it's still airborne. It sounds like the Bison player just ran past him and wasn't in front of him or prevent him from getting to the ball. Based on what I heard I'm guessing the deep wing who threw the flag got a downgrade on that call.

I did see the catch/no catch on my phone and it did appear there was some movement of the ball but I couldn't tell if the ball touched the ground while loose. I can see why they went with "stands" but I thought they might overturn it. I talked to two different D1 officials and both said they are taught to rule catch when it's that close and that amazing of an effort and let replay overturn if it shows it was obviously wrong. Those are tough either way so I wouldn't be too critical regardless of which way that went.

Looked like a late signal on the fair catch too. Seemed like the bison player may have been in front but got out of the way as soon as he could.

On the catch/no catch, what you heard from your colleagues is what makes sense to me.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

[IndyBison]

One can only hope the ref's let them play. NOTHING ruins a big game more than a ref crew or one single ref that cannot get enough tv time throwing flags on every play. Be consistent, but let the little shit go!!!!

Nothing ruins the officials day more than a lot of flags also. If there is someone out there who likes to throw flags they are very rare and likely not working a game like this. They'll call them as they see them and want to make them big. Any game I've worked at any level we always feel best when the game had minimal fouls. They are easier to work and more fun to work!

[IndyBison]

Illegal block below the waist calls when the defender turns at the last second. I hope the coaching staff talks to the crews before every game about that call. For this game, also remind them to look for illegal man downfield against the Jacks.

Those are the types of things many coaches point out before the game but also things the officials are already watching closely. Low block rules have changed a lot the past 10 years. This is an oversimplification of the rule, but when in space the blocker has to approach the defender from the front of their area of focus. The rule book uses the term 10 to 2 in regards to the face of a clock. Anything else now is a foul. Low side blocks used to be allowed and then were limited only to linemen but they have been removed entirely now. So something that was legal last year is now a foul. You also can't block low back toward the original position of the ball. That includes a defender who is pursuing laterally toward the sideline. Also starting this year nobody can block low more than 5 yards beyond the LOS. These rules have really limited when and where you can cut so what you see as a defender turning at the last minute may have been a foul because of the many other things I mentioned. It's a safety foul and one the coaches want called tightly. Many want it eliminated completely.

Another key thing to know about ineligible downfield is it's where the player is when the ball is RELEASED. It may seem like the players are well downfield on many RPO plays, but if you freeze it when the ball is released, they are often fine. The rules committee (mostly coaches) tried to change it a couple years ago to only 1 yard rather than 3 but it was rejected after being initially passed. I expect we may still see that change eventually. It's also a tricky one to call because the same official has to be aware of two different things happening at the same time in two different places on the field. The key is to see the player pass the 3-yard mark and then take a quick peak at the QB. If he has already released the ball then it's not a foul. There is a very brief time gap there but you'll keep yourself out of trouble if you don't pull your flag too quickly. I had a few of those I thought were obvious and then watched the video and realized the player was at 2 yards when the ball was released but 5 or 6 yards by the time it was caught. The other thing to know is if the pass is touched in or behind the neutral zone then it doesn't matter where those ineligible players were. And by philosophy you aren't going to be super technical on that either. If it's close let it go. Other than safety fouls, the fewer flags the better.

I hate when we have these threads that make Indy defend the entire industry of officials. Puts him in a bad place and his answers are sometimes unsatisfying.

Indy. I think I agree with everyone that what we never want is to get a feeling of "oh shit" when we see who the refs are going to be. They shouldn't be part of the conversation.

No one is making me defend anything. Officials are human and make mistakes. There is a huge difference between a good official who makes a mistake and a bad official. If you have risen to the level of FCS you have already proven through years of experience and tons of evaluation that you are a good official. If you are assigned to a playoff crew you have proven over the course of that season you are a good official. If your crew has been assigned to a second playoff game in that season (which everyone has at this point) you have proven better than your peers. They will still make mistakes because it's a fast game and your eyes will sometimes lie to you. Most officials accept judgement errors, but rule application and mechanics are much less tolerated. The downgrades for those are usually more severe as well. I don't know anyone on the crew tonight, but I can confidently say they are good officials. I just hope the ball bounces their way and they don't make too many errors.

Looked like a late signal on the fair catch too. Seemed like the bison player may have been in front but got out of the way as soon as he could.

On the catch/no catch, what you heard from your colleagues is what makes sense to me.

It doesn't matter if there was a signal or not, the kicking team member can't be in that 1-yard belt until the ball is touched. The difference with the signal is what you can do after the ball is touched. With a legal signal you have to allow him to complete the catch and you can't hit him if he completes the catch. That means if he muffs the ball into the air, you still have to give him the ability to complete the catch if he signaled. With no signal you are free to get that ball in the air.

[sage]

The refs sucked IMO don't surprise me they came from the big scare conf.. I did see hold from SD they never called a one.

[DakotaOkie]

The refs sucked IMO don't surprise me they came from the big scare conf.. I did see hold from SD they never called a one.

I respectfully disagree. While I never like the calls against the Bison, the refs let the teams play overall. There were not any real controversial calls as far as I could tell. Just the stupid block in the back calls that were real...