By Bill LeMonnier | Posted 3/23/2015
USA Football Rules Editor Bill LeMonnier is a veteran college referee who also has served as an official in the Arena Football League. He oversees the USA Football Rules Book. Click hereto ask Bill a question. Make sure to put “Ask the Official” in the subject line.
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Is there is any approved ruling about a center turning the ball with points at 3 and 9 o’clock instead of 12 and 6?
No. It is illegal to turn the ball sideways. Here are three references for USA Football’s Rules Book, the National Federation of State High School Associations and the NCAA:
- USA Football (Rule 4) and NFHS (Rule 7-1-2) The snapper may lift the ball for lateral rotation but may not rotate end-for-end or change location or fail to keep the long axis of the ball at right angles to the line of scrimmage.
- NCAA (Rule 7-1-3) While resting on the ground and before the snap, the long axis of the ball must be at right angles to the scrimmage line.
In all three rules, it is a dead ball foul for an illegal snap.
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I’ve worked some games where the clock operator is … we’ll call it “distracted.” It’s gotten to the point where there have been multiple times the clock is running when it should not.
How would you address this? At what point does it go beyond an annoyance to keep putting time back on the clock?
We’ve all worked games where the clock operator is not on his game for a variety of reasons. If the referee has a field microphone, it’s easy to announce clock corrections as needed. It’s obviously more difficult without a field microphone. Hand signals and calling up to the press box is needed in these situations.
If the problem persists, you need to speak directly with the clock operator at the end of a quarter or at halftime. It’s one of the reasons you need to make time to speak with the clock operator before the game and go over potential clock situations.
Also, don’t take for granted that you and your crew are giving clear, visible signals. It’s probably the clock operator not being focused, but it could be you and your crew contributing to the problem. If the problem persists, you have the authority to take the clock away from the clock operator and keep the time on the field.
Be sure that’s what you really want to do as that poses problems for you and your crew and communication issues with the teams, players and coaches.
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What is the proper mechanic for an ineligible downfield call where there is an attempted screen pass that appears to cross the neutral zone with linemen past the neutral zone? Is that the umpire’s responsibility to determine whether the ball crosses or not? Is it the wings? Does a seven-man or five-man crew make a difference?
Judge the screen pass with potential ineligibles downfield by where the offensive receiver is. Don’t nit-pick this call with a flag when the receiver is overthrown in or around the line of scrimmage and the pass continues across the line of scrimmage. No advantage has been gained.
If the receiver and the pass are both obviously beyond the line of scrimmage, then you have an advantage in blocking.
