1. Lesson 4 – Action Near the Goal Line & “The Mobile Box”
New Officials
Lesson 4 – Action Near the Goal Line
& “The Mobile Box”

2. Quick Review & Preview
In the previous lesson (Lesson 2), we spent most of our effort in recognition of offensive scrimmage formations, what it takes for the offense to be legal at the snap and what are some of the fouls that occur due to illegalities of the formation, motion or other activities at or before the snap.
We also spent a little time on individual mechanics and responsibilities for the wing officials and the Umpire.
This lesson will cover two more basic subjects:
Our “Primary Mechanic” – The “Mobile Box”
How Mechanics Change Near the Goal Line

3. The Mobile Box
The “Mobile Box” is the Primary Mechanic for all crew sizes. It doesn’t matter whether we’re working 3-, 4-, 5-, 6- or 7-Man on-field crew sizes. The big idea is to start the play as well surrounded as we can, continue to surround the play as it develops and wind up with coverage the same general way.
Each official in the on-field crew basically works an “outside-in” technique on scrimmage plays except for the Umpire who, by the fact of his position “inside” the defense must work an “inside-out” technique.
This means that all but the Umpire try hard not to let anyone behind them on the field of play.

4. Simplified coverage of a sweep.
Note the “N” effect in the movement of the wing on the left in this slide. He stepped down, gave ground to the sweep and then followed the runner down the field.

5. Slightly different coverage for play “up the middle.”
The Referee winds up with the “clean up” duties. He realistically has no chance of moving past the Umpire. Note that wings gradually converge at play’s end.

6. Goal Line Mechanics
In a 4-Man crew, not very much changes as the LOS approaches or moves away from the Goal Line.
Even so, because movement across the Goal Line is so important (Touchdown, Safety or Touchback), we do alter our mechanics somewhat to try as best we can to provide coverage of plays likely to wind up at or near the Goal Line.

7. For Snaps inside the 5-yard line “going in”:
The wings “pinch in” to their 9-yards-outside-the-widest-player limit. At the snap they must step immediately to the goal line and work back from there to any dead ball spot on the field of play. The Umpire must be ready to give “hands to the chest” if he sees the ball clearly in the end zone.

8. Here the QB runs wide to the left.
The wing on the left in this slide must move to the line, recognize the sweep, give ground to the runner and be positioned outside the pylon to make the call on the touchdown.

9. Goal Line Mechanics
In a 4-Man crew, not very much changes as the LOS approaches or moves away from the Goal Line.
In a similar way that we must be concerned when the ball is snapped inside the 3 yard line “going out.” The greatest risk here is that the offense will not be able to get the ball completely out of their own end zone. If this happens, the wings must be in a position to determine a safety has occurred.

10. At the snap the wings move immediately to the goal line.

11. If the play breaks deep, the wings must still take the runner all the way down the field.
At play’s end wings would move straight in parallel with sideline, mirror each other and get the spot with their downfield foot.