21 advanced training officials include 7 from ’13 taxi squad
The NFL has released the names of the college officials who will participate in the 2014 advanced training program. The list includes two women: Sarah Thomas returns for a second year and Maia Chaka joins the program for her first year.
What is interesting about this year’s list is the return of Sarah Thomas. Last year, the NFL made Thomas very accessible to media interviews and the conventional wisdom was that she was assured of being hired for 2014. Yet, in a year that may see 10 new officials, Thomas is still in the advanced training program and not a full time NFL official. It must be noted that Thomas is a line judge and no line judge positions were open this season; however a comparable head linesman position was open for 2014 but it went to another candidate. An officiating source told Football Zebras that the NFL “can’t fail with Thomas, and so they are going to work her in another season of training.”
You may see another familiar name: Walt Coleman IV, son of current referee Walt Coleman, is in his first year in the advanced training program. Settle down, Oakland.
All of the 2014 NFL officiating hires came from the 2013 advanced training program. This program was borne out of the 2012 collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the officials’ union. The goal is for collegiate officials who are candidates to become NFL officials spend time in team training camps and the preseason traveling with NFL crews. In 2013, these officials worked a Week 2 preseason game and half of a Week 3 preseason game. Once the college football season begins in September, the officials return to the collegiate ranks and the NFL continues to scout them for potential future officiating openings. The NFL could then hire the candidate when a job opens up, invite the candidate to return the next season or drop the candidate from further consideration.
Another source told us last year that the NFL pays the advanced training officials’ salaries for the college conferences in exchange for the burden placed on the conference.
Thomas, and the other candidates, will have the 2014 preseason to show their talents to the NFL with the hopes that they will get the call for 2015.
2014 advanced training crew
| Conference | College Coordinator | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HL | Maia Chaka | Conference USA | Gerry Austin | |
| LJ | 138 | Kevin Codey ¹ | American Athletic | Terry McAulay |
| LJ | Walt Coleman IV | Big 12 | Walt Anderson | |
| HL | 139 | Hugo Cruz ¹ | Conference USA | Gerry Austin |
| FJ | Ryan Dickson | Pac-12 | Tony Corrente | |
| SJ | Lark Jones | Conference USA | Gerry Austin | |
| SJ | Jeremy Lomax | American Athletic | Terry McAulay | |
| HL | Bart Longson | Pac-12 | Tony Corrente | |
| U | Kevin Mar | Big 12 | Walt Anderson | |
| LJ | 145 | Clay Martin ¹ | Conference USA | Gerry Austin |
| HL | Harold Mitchell Jr. | SWAC, Conference USA | Gerry Austin | |
| BJ | Jonah Monroe | American Athletic | Terry McAulay | |
| BJ | Larry Neal Jr. | Conference USA | Gerry Austin | |
| BJ | Lyndon Nixon | Big 12 | Walt Anderson | |
| U | 150 | Mark Pellis ¹ | American Athletic | Terry McAulay |
| SJ | 151 | Clay Reynard ² | Pac-12 | Tony Corrente |
| FJ | Aaron Santi | Pac-12 | Tony Corrente | |
| BJ | Shawn Smith | Big Ten | Bill Carollo | |
| LJ | 153 | Sarah Thomas ¹ | Conference USA, UFL | Gerry Austin |
| FJ | 156 | Jabir Walker ¹ | SEC | Steve Shaw |
| U | Doug Wilson | Pac-12 | Tony Corrente |
Source: NFL, Football Zebras data. Uniform numbers represent last year’s numbers for returning trainees. ¹member of 2013 program. ²field judge in 2013 program. Image: New Orleans Saints photo.
While I am in favor of women officiating at the professional level, they should at least meet the minimum criteria for all new officials. Maia does not meet the minimum qualifications to be in the NFL as with the requirement of 5 years in the college ranks. As of the 2009, she had yet to officiate even at the Division III level. But given that time, the earliest she should be eligible for the NFL is the 2015 season.
Nepotism, “legacies,’ and minority group…shocking. It all continues.
Don’t worry there’s going to be one more woman added next year from Pittsburgh. Amanda Sauer. She worked 1.5 years of high school and her first college game was for Conference USA. I guess it helps when your family owns 10% of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Way to go Gerry Austin thanks for ruining officiating and hopes of others.