Does the offense get a delay of game fudge factor?

Several times a season, we get fans asking us about delay of game. The play clock on the TV screen hits :00, and an instant later the quarterback snaps the ball. It certainly looks like the offense is guilty of delay of game, but there is no flag. Why? Officiating mechanics build

Which comes first: Time out or delay of game?

Some times, the most frantic time on a football field is the last two seconds of the play clock. Sometimes the offense is milking the clock, other times the coach sees something and calls an audible. Sometimes the quarterback snaps the ball when the play clock hits zero or the

NFL borrows 8th official from Big 12

[Editor's note: In 2014, the participating NCAA conferences standardized the name from alternate official to center judge. This post refers to the terminology at the time it was written.] The NFL is looking to take a page from the playbook of one of its referees. Vice president of officiating Dean Blandino is

Float like a butterfly…dodge like a ref

How NFL officials stay out of the way to preserve life and limb We've all seen it.  For the fans it is a funny sight but for anyone who has been knocked down by a football player always cringes when a football official gets knocked down.  The officials do not wear