Anytime during a game when the ball is loose, or about to become loose, the odds dramatically increase that something will occur to challenge your officiating knowledge. 

So many things can be affected by a loose ball play: Down and distance...Determining team possession...and penalty enforcement are a few of the critical elements that will need to be sorted out..

We have all been there before-- A team is in scrimmage kick formation and an errant snap occurs.

Officials understand the obvious importance of protecting the kicker, but this must be balanced with the understanding when the "kicker" label is removed from the player.

The ruling for a DOUBLE FOUL during a live ball with no change of possession is very straightforward -- the fouls offset each other and the down is replayed. 

However, let’s not confuse this with a live ball foul by one team and a dead ball foul from the other. In this situation, they are always penalized and administered in their order of occurrence.

Officials also need to be clear in their understanding of DOUBLE FOULS during a down when you have a change of possession and a double foul.

The following play demonstrates a good example of a DOUBLE FOUL and the proper enforcement of the penalty.

 There are many adages that speak to today's preparation determining tomorrow's success in any worthwhile endeavor.

And for sports officials "60 Seconds on Officiating" Football Editor Mark Fanelli reminds us that an error-free game is firmly linked to the work put in before the opening kickoff.

"Presenting yourself as physically fit and properly outfitted are easily verifiable checkpoints, but prep work dealing with rule knowledge and being physically rested and mentally ready, are matters only you can truthfully answer.

If you are the referee, your work begins days before the game:

• Contact the home site Athletic Director to confirm the time of the game and meeting place for your pre-game.
•  Contact your crew and confirm game time, arrival time and pre-game meeting location.   

There are a number of ways to conduct an effective pre-game..."

For 2009, one of the points of emphasis that the NFHS has addressed is illegal personal contact.  These are the fouls that can instantaneously turn great games into games that we would quickly like to forget.  With a little bit of preventative officiating we can hopefully keep these fouls from occurring.

The specific fouls that are identified are:

• Fighting
• Contacting an Official
• Late Hits
• Hurdling
• Using a teammate to gain an illegal position
• Throwing a helmet
• Tripping
• Grabbing the face mask, or any helmet opening
• Illegal helmet contact
• Roughing the passer, kicker or holder
• Helmet slapping

A famous poet once wrote, "if man is doomed to extinction he will die out of want of simplicity."
 
Now we don't believe our "60 Second" audience faces extinction anytime soon, but we do strive for simplicity in all of our educational content...It is to that end that we are proud to have respected official, Mark Fanelli, on our "60 Seconds on Football Officiating" staff to share his valuable insights.
 
In this premiere gridiron issue, Mark examines what is needed to successfully officiate the fiercely contested play in the trenches.