Question: Do coaches scout officiating crews before games?

MOAN

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Wouldn't ask if I knew, but do coaching staffs scout officiating crews for tendencies in how they call games before an upcoming game? Or do they know which officiating crew in advance enough before a game to accommodate doing so?

Seems to me that it would be in a teams best interest to do so especially in a championship game in order to help prepare for such plays like the pick, rub plays allowed in the game against Clemson. If a certain conference is well known to not call those types of plays then it would be an advantage to know beforehand I would think and do any of you think Clemson had that knowledge beforehand?

Not complaining about those plays mind you, just wondering. I could see where it would help knowing how a certain officiating crew calls games in many instances, tendencies, such as holding calls, pass interference, lineman down field and such. Not to mention pick/rub plays.

Stupid question no doubt! ;)
 

tattooguy21

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Wouldn't ask if I knew, but do coaching staffs scout officiating crews for tendencies in how they call games before an upcoming game? Or do they know which officiating crew in advance enough before a game to accommodate doing so? .

Stupid question no doubt! ;)
Not at all. It's a great question. In fact, JessN alluded to how Bama will, in the future, either need to bend the rules with everyone else or force the change.
 

PA Tide Fan

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I think many do. I've read that Clemson was well aware of the fact that a Big 12 crew doesn't call many penalties on pass plays so that's why they used the pick plays. After the first pick play wasn't called they knew they could go back to it later when they got the chance.
 
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crimsonaudio

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I think many do. I've read that Clemson was well aware of the fact that a Big 12 crew doesn't call many penalties on pass plays so that's why they used the pick plays. After the first pick play wasn't called they knew they could go back to it later when they got the chance.
And it's on our staff for not making the necessary adjustments after that first pick-play TD.
 

RTR91

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They should if they don't.

Not sure if there's a database for football officials, but I know there was - at least at one time - one for basketball officials to show how many penalties they call per game.

By getting an idea how a group of officials call games, manage the clock (do they hurry to the line or do they take their time), handle the sidelines, and player interactions after the play, coaches are able to give the players a better idea of how to prepare for a game.

I know Saban isn't going to publicly say it, but some officials are going to be strict on defensive backs being aggressive while others are going to let them play. If the staff knows Official Adam is the strict one while Official Pete doesn't give a flip, they can better prepare the DBs on how to play when the game is officiated by Adam or Pete.
 

RWBTide

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I think many do. I've read that Clemson was well aware of the fact that a Big 12 crew doesn't call many penalties on pass plays so that's why they used the pick plays. After the first pick play wasn't called they knew they could go back to it later when they got the chance.
And it's on our staff for not making the necessary adjustments after that first pick-play TD.
I still haven't been able to bring myself to watch the game yet so I appreciate I'm speaking from a position of ignorance.

I find it hard to believe that there is such variety in how games are called by the referee's from different conferences, surely it's a single rule set and pre-defined interpretations across the NCAA?

Also, accepting that they do in fact vary conference to conference, that CNS wouldn't have allowed and planned for that variation.
 

cbi1972

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I still haven't been able to bring myself to watch the game yet so I appreciate I'm speaking from a position of ignorance.

I find it hard to believe that there is such variety in how games are called by the referee's from different conferences, surely it's a single rule set and pre-defined interpretations across the NCAA?

Also, accepting that they do in fact vary conference to conference, that CNS wouldn't have allowed and planned for that variation.
Are you familiar with the strike zone in baseball?

Baseball Prospectus: Spinning Yarn - The Real Strike Zone
 

RWBTide

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Are you familiar with the strike zone in baseball?

Baseball Prospectus: Spinning Yarn - The Real Strike Zone
Wee bit.

Its a fascinating game. But it's still a wee bit crickety for a Scotsmans taste.

I get the differential between officials but from what I've learned about CNS he's nothing if not organised so if any coach had data on individual officials i would have expected that coach to be CNS

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TIDE-HSV

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Wee bit.

Its a fascinating game. But it's still a wee bit crickety for a Scotsmans taste.

I get the differential between officials but from what I've learned about CNS he's nothing if not organised so if any coach had data on individual officials i would have expected that coach to be CNS

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I agree...
 

MOAN

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Wee bit.

Its a fascinating game. But it's still a wee bit crickety for a Scotsmans taste.

I get the differential between officials but from what I've learned about CNS he's nothing if not organised so if any coach had data on individual officials i would have expected that coach to be CNS

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I understand what you are suggesting but it sure looked to me like coach Saban was throwing up his hands in disgust like he didn't know what he could say or do to get it across to the officials that the pick was against the rules.

If he already knew, or had scouted that, that is the way they called that kind of play, a non call, then why throw his hands up in disgust?

Why even get mad in the first place if you know how the play will be called before hand?
 
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Bamaro

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I understand what you are suggesting but it sure looked to me like coach Saban was throwing up his hands in disgust like he didn't know what he could say or do to get it across to the officials that the pick was against the rules.

If he already knew, or had scouted that, that is the way they called that kind of play, a non call, then why throw his hands up in disgust?

Why even get mad in the first place if you know how the play will be called before hand?
Probably because it is still somewhat of a judgement call and the refs judged it wrong on most peoples opinion.
 

theballguy

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Almost certainly CNS does. If I'm not mistaken, he uses refs for practice scrimmages (a little different I know). Also, MLB teams do it and if no one in the NFL didn't do it, they would be stupid not to.
 

BAMAfan777

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Saban out-coached Dado for the win last year (onside kick)........Dado out-coached Saban this year (pick plays). That was the difference.
 

RTR91

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Almost certainly CNS does. If I'm not mistaken, he uses refs for practice scrimmages (a little different I know). Also, MLB teams do it and if no one in the NFL didn't do it, they would be stupid not to.
Every team uses officials for scrimmages and practices.

Saban out-coached Dado for the win last year (onside kick)........Dado out-coached Saban this year (pick plays). That was the difference.
So one used a legal play to win and the other used an illegal play to win.
 

gman4tide

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And saw bama lined up in the neutral zone. But didn't notice the clempsun slot receiver lined up in neutral zone on one of their 3rd down conversions. But I digress...
 

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