META: Idea for Officiating Blog Series (Probably Next Year)

Submitted by Chris S on

In the same manner that you guys do recurring breakdowns of defense, offense, neck sharpies, stats, and the new thing where you explain one concept in detail, I think you should do a series - maybe starting next year - about how officials are taught to call and look for things. One week could be how they key on holding calls, the next could be on unsportsmanlike conduct, the next on clock management, and so on.  Not necessarily focusing on bad calls against us, but just common calls in general.

I think this would give us a better understanding going into games when we see calls that don't seem to make sense.

If anyone hasn't read OKWolverine's comments on the Parallex Response thread, I think it's pretty cool and I kinda wished he would have nerded-out a little more. That gave me the idea for this.

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Mr. Elbel

November 28th, 2016 at 4:28 PM ^

So does this count as a response to my response or a response to the other META thread a few spots down? Just wondering how far down the rabbit whole we've collectively gone today...

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mGrowOld

November 28th, 2016 at 4:30 PM ^

Either penalties uncalled or called penalities that should have been let go.   It would interesing to see that metric calculated on a weekly basis - especially by someone like Brian who doesnt inherently see the officials as evil or having an agenda one way or the other.

If Brian did a UFR and came out with something that said "on balance Michigan got the benefit of the calls this game" I'd believe it.  Even if I didnt want to believe it.

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Coda17

November 28th, 2016 at 4:51 PM ^

One thing I noticed as a trend all game is half of OSU's spots were about a yard further than I thought they were and half of ours a yard behind where I thought they should be.  I think the spot would be another easy point of analysis as it's basically free yards.

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MGoMarley

November 28th, 2016 at 8:37 PM ^

Exactly, it is the easiest way to affect the game as an official with getting noticed.. unless someone reviews all the spots of the game and a pattern develops. Short a couple feet on first and second down and then come up short on 3rd, no one notices

I saw the same thing

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LSAClassOf2000

November 28th, 2016 at 5:53 PM ^

I think a series that takes particularly controversial calls in games - not just ours but throughout the conference - and breaks them down in contrast to the rule being enforced or not enforced would actually be a pretty fascinating read if it was done properly. It could be done in conjunction with a series on the various types of calls as well, but something that took it right down to the field level would really be fun to do, I think. 

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bjk

November 28th, 2016 at 7:25 PM ^

that bright ideas happen more quickly if they start with the words "Is it allright if I do this" than they do if they start with the words "I think you should do this".

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