Midnight Maize: October 2018

Zebra Cakes

8:15 AM

Greetings from "I Have No Time because I have three kids world!" I'm back!... for now.

There has been a lot made of the officiating in recent week(or every week). I happen to know a white hat Zebra Cake from a big time conference who of course will remain nameless. I'm always texting him during the week asking about calls and plays from the Michigan game. I figured I might as well post something useful for once.

The Gary Tug

Zebra Cake:

I got nothing on that. First, the defender plays right through the block. There wasn't a step taken away or anything.

Shredder: So even though he gets grabbed from behind it doesn't matter? It's just about the first step?

Zebra Cake: He plays through it. There isn't a restriction.

Shredder: So if he falls backwards then? I just want to understand how these things are called/viewed.

Zebra Cake: There are a lot of things that play into it. He's grab, sure, but he plays through it. There has to be a material restriction...a shoulder dip, taking a step away, things like that. Shows us you're getting held

Shredder: So a simple grab doesn't equal holding...Interesting. See, no one knows that. They see it black and white.

Chase Double Team

Zebra Cake: Its a double team so my eyes are leaving that block at that point. It appears he slips, but once I see the double team, I'm moving on

Shredder: Why are you moving on?

Zebra Cake: You will never see an official throw a flag for holding on a double team, you move onto the next threat or priority.

Hidgon Holding

Shredder: ??????

Zebra Cake: I got nothing, its bad. I'm sure we will be discussing this.

Play Clock

Shredder: So its not like a shot clock in basketball?

Zebra Cake:

No not all. The B can't see the clock and the ball snapped at the same time. So it's one of those where they watch the clock, if it hits zero, they then look down at the ball. If it's being snapped, it's not a foul. If they aren't snapping it, it's a foul.

Shredder: Thanks for giving us some thoughts on these plays, it seems like football officiating is full of gray.

Zebra Cake: No problem, There is so much gray area in football officiating. Nothing is black and white. That's what separate the good ones from the average ones, the guys that can navigate the gray area

Thanks to Mgoblog too for the Youtube clips.

zebra cakes, officiating