line judge
What Is The Definition Of Line Judge In Football?
1. This football game official determines whether a player is out of bounds. In addition, the line judge must monitor the line of scrimmage and watches for specific fouls that may occur before the snap, such as encroachment and offsides. Each team has two line judges during a game.
In American football, a line judge is one of seven total crew officials who are tasked with helping to officiate a game.
Where On The Field Is The Line Judge?
Each of the seven officials tasked with calling a football game has a specific role and place to be on the field. The line judge is directly opposite the down judge, directly in line with the line of scrimmage.
What Is The Role Of The Line Judge During Games?
The line judge has three primary areas to keep an eye on before, during, and after plays:
- Keep tabs on offside and encroachment.
- Tabulates the number of offensive players on the field to ensure no more than 11 are fielding for that play.
- When plays unfold near their sideline or half of the field, the line judge takes responsibility for ruling on them.
What Type Of Plays Does Line Judge Keep Watch For?
There are three types of plays that the line judge is watching:
- Running plays: During rushing plays, the line judge will watch line movement for false starts and encroachments, make sure blockers are not committing penalties, determine when players step out of bounds, and rule on forward progress.
- Passing plays: In passing situations, the line judge monitors receivers (depending on their formation), rules on incomplete or complete passes near their sideline, rules if a player caught a pass and where the catch was completed, keeps tabs that balls are thrown behind the line of scrimmage, and rules on forward or backward passes in their area.
- Special teams: During special teams plays, the line judge will be stationed on the goal line of the receiving team by the sideline, watches the line of scrimmage for offside penalties during punts, and rules on false starts, offsides, or encroachment during field goal and extra point attempts.
Examples Of How Line Judge Is Used In Commentary
1. Brady completes the back shoulder fade to Edelman, but the line judge rules it incomplete as he caught it out of bounds.
Abbreviated As:
1. LJ
Sports The Term Is Used
1. Football