Football Officials and Referee Types (2024)

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During a football game, gameplay is regulated by various officials. There are several different types of officials involved in the game, each with different responsibilities. Read on to learn more about the officials in football.

• Football Officials and Referees
• Football Referee
• Umpire
• Down Judge
• Line Judge
• Field Judge
• Side Judge
• Back Judge
• Football Penalty Flags
• Football Challenge
• Football Referee Signals
• High School Football Referees
• FAQ

An official is responsible for interpreting the rules of the game and enforcing them on the football field. Referees and other officials need to ensure the game remains fair and safe for all players, according to the rules of the game. Due to the size of a football field and the number of players on the field at once,there are seven referees that govern an NFL or college football game.

The seven officials in an NFL game include:

• The Referee
• The Umpire
• The Down Judge
• The Line Judge
• The Field Judge
• The Side Judge
• The Back Judge

Football Referee

The referee is the head official and has the final say with all rulings on the field. If there is a disagreement between officials, the referee will step in and make the decision. This referee positions himself behind the line of scrimmage, around ten feet into the defensive backfield.

Umpire

The umpire stands opposite the referee, also behind the line of scrimmage. They are responsible for watching over the line of scrimmage, reviewing player equipment, and counting the number of players on the field.They will also be in charge of marking off yardage for penalties.

Down Judge

The down judge is positioned on one side of the field along the line of scrimmage. They instruct the chain crew and keep an eye on offside players and possible encroachment.They also keep the referee informed of the current downand make rulings for sideline plays on their half of the field.

Line Judge

The line judge is on the opposite side of the field from the down judge. They also line themselves up with the line of scrimmage. Similar to the down judge, they also watch for offsides players and encroachment and rule on plays on their side of the field.

Field Judge

The field judge stands on the sideline in the defensive backfield, about 20 yards away from the line of scrimmage. This judge keeps track of the wide receiver on their side of the field to watch for any fouls on the offensive or defensive side.They also watch the sideline to determine if a player is in or out of bounds.

Side Judge

The side judge is in the same position as the field judge, just on the other side of the field. They also have the same responsibilities as the field judge, keeping track of the wide receivers on their side of the field and checking for out of bounds.

Back Judge

The back judge stands in the defensive backfield in the middle of the field. They usually are closer to the side the tight end is on. They are responsible for counting defensive players on the field and keeping track of any action around the tight end in order to call any fouls.

A yellow flag may be thrown onto the field by an official to signal a penalty.Any of the seven referees can throw flags onto the field. Flags are thrown for penalties that occur before the snap, during the play after the snap, or after the play has ended. Each penalty results in different consequences, but the same yellow flag is thrown regardless of which penalty occurred. After the flag is thrown and play has stopped, the officials will discuss and announce the final penalty call to coaches, players, and fans.

Football Challenge

A challenge is a way for a coach to ask an official to review the previous play with instant replay.To ask for a challenge, the coach will throw a red flag on the field after a play. The challenge flag must be thrown before the ball is snapped to start the next play. Each team gets two challenges per game. If a team makes two successful challenges, they are awarded a third challenge. Three is the maximum number of challenges a team may use in a game. If a team makes an unsuccessful challenge, they will be charged a timeout.

A referee signal is a way that the officials communicate with teams and fans during a game.Each penalty in football has a referee signal associated with it. Signals are used to effectively communicate penalty calls in environments where it may be too loud to hear verbal communications. After a flag is thrown, officials will signal the reason for the flag. The referee will use their hands to define the penalty as they also make a verbal announcement.

High School Football Referees

Unlike in the NFL and NCAA, the number of referees for high school or youth football games may vary.It is most common for high school football games to have five officials, although this number can change depending on the league and state that games are played in. Youth football leagues typically only have three officials for each game.

FAQ

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