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PRE-GAME
OFFICIALS' CHECKLIST
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for
Double-Team Coaches
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by Hugh Wyatt -
www.coachwyatt.com
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Officials will normally
ask you in a pre-game conference if you have anything
special for them to know about. and if they have not seen
your offense before, this is a good time to bring the
following things to their attention
A word of caution - be
very diplomatic in approaching officials about such
matters. It is understandable that they might take offense
if you are not properly respectful. Do not be surprised if
you hear something on the order of "You do the coaching and
we'll do the officiating." Uh-oh. Officials can sometimes be
very touchy if they think you are implying that they
don't know the rules (which, unfortunately, is all too often
the case)
Needless to say, it is
wise to have a copy of the rule book with you at all times -
paper-clipped to the appropriate pages - and to be familiar
with its contents.
(WHERE POSSIBLE, LET
THEM SEE YOUR KIDS RUN THE WEDGE).
1. WE KNOW THAT IT IS
ILLEGAL TO HELP THE RUNNER ON THE WEDGE, AND WE COACH OUR
PLAYERS NOT TO DO IT. WE ALSO KNOW THAT IT IS ILLEGAL FOR
OUR BLOCKERS TO LOCK ARMS, AND WE COACH OUR PLAYERS NOT TO
DO THAT, EITHER. BUT IT IS LEGAL FOR OUR BLOCKERS TO
PUSH ON THEIR OWN TEAMMATES (OTHER THAN THE RUNNER), AND WE
DO COACH THAT
2. WHEN WE RUN THE WEDGE,
IT IS EASY TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE BALL CARRIER. PLEASE MAKE
SURE YOU SEE THE RUNNER GO TO THE GROUND BEFORE BLOWING YOUR
WHISTLE
(WHILE YOU'RE AT IT,
SHOW THEM YOUR FORMATION AND YOUR TIGHT
SPLITS)
3. THE FREE BLOCKING ZONE
EXTENDS NOT FROM TACKLE TO TACKLE BUT FOUR YARDS TO THE
RIGHT AND LEFT OF THE BALL. THAT MEANS THAT WITH OUR
TIGHT SPLITS, OUR ENDS AND WINGBACKS ARE LINED UP IN THE
FREE BLOCKING ZONE, AND THEREFORE IT IS LEGAL FOR OUR TE'S -
AND OUR WINGBACKS WHEN THEY ARE ON THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE
- TO BLOCK DEFENSIVE LINEMEN LOW (Rule 2, Section 17,
Article 1)
(AND SHOW THEM YOUR
ALIGNMENT FROM THE SIDE)
4. IT IS LEGAL FOR OUR
LINEMEN TO LINE UP AS DEEP AS THEY DO, SO LONG AS THE TOPS
OF THEIR HELMETS ARE EVEN WITH THE CENTER'S WAIST (Rule 2,
Section 30, Article 9)
5. IT IS ILLEGAL FOR
OPPONENTS TO GRAB OUR PULLING LINEMEN'S LEGS - HOLDING IS
HOLDING (Rule 9, Section 2, Article 3-c)
6. IT IS ILLEGAL FOR A
DEFENDER WHO AT THE SNAP WAS NOT IN THE FREE BLOCKING ZONE
AND ON THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE TO ATTACK OUR KICKOUT
GUARDS BELOW THE WAIST, AND IT IS ILLEGAL FOR ANY
DEFENDER TO ATTACK OUR BLOCKING FULLBACK BELOW THE WAIST,
SINCE OUR FULLBACK DID NOT ORIGINALLY LINE UP ON THE LINE OF
SCRIMMAGE -Rule 9, Section 3, Article 1, 2 and especially
Rule 2, Section 17, Article 2 )
NOTE- THIS ALSO APPLIES TO
LINEBACKERS WHO THROW THEMSELVES AT THE LEGS OF OUR LINEMEN
ON A WEDGE - CLEARLY ILLEGAL!
7. IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW
SOON BEFORE THE SNAP OUR MAN STARTS IN MOTION OR HOW LONG HE
IS IN MOTION BEFORE THE SNAP. WE CAN SNAP THE BALL AS SOON
AFTER MOTION STARTS AS WE WISH, SO LONG AS ONLY ONE MAN IS
IN MOTION, AND HE IS NOT GOING IN MOTION TOWARD OUR
OPPONENTS' GOAL
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