Rogers Redding, the national coordinator of College Football Officiating, provides insights about rules changes and the mindset of college football referees. The CFO is the national professional organization for all football officials who work games at the collegiate level. 

July is typically the month that sees the onset of officiating clinics, as the conference coordinators work with their officials to begin focusing on preparations for the season. College football officials around the country meet typically in three-day conference clinics, where they use a number of training tools to get ready. In this column we look at some of the other ways officials are preparing.

 

National training video

College Football Officiating (CFO), the national officiating organization, creates a variety of videos throughout the year. These are designed to help officials learn best practices and gain a better understanding of the rules and mechanics. Each year we produce a national training video containing more than one hundred plays from the postseason games of the previous year. These real-game plays with voice-over commentary allow officials around the country to see the same plays and get the same interpretations and instruction.

 

Topical videos

The coordinators of the Division I conferences collaborate in producing brief single-topic videos which CFO makes available for all college football officials nationwide. Videos for the 2016 preseason include such topics as Blocking Below the Waist, Targeting and Instant Replay, Offensive Pass Interference, Catch/No Catch, and Stretching and Physical Preparation. 

 

National Instant Replay Conference          

Every spring all the Division I Instant Replay Officials from around the country meet as a group to work on perfecting the instant replay process. These sessions feature extensive study of video plays as examples of what may and may not be reviewed. Concentrated attention is devoted to best practices for conducting a review. This year, a focus of the meeting was on the 2016 rule change that expanded the role of the instant replay in targeting fouls.

 

National Referee Conference

This year for the first time, CFO sponsored a National Referee Conference. All Division I officials who work the Referee position were invited to this two-day meeting. A variety of topics were presented, all designed to help referees in their dual role as football official and "chief operating officer." Because the referee is responsible for all aspects of managing the game, from communication with coaches to enforcing penalties, these individuals benefit from specialized training that focuses on the unique responsibilities of the position.

New Exhibit

Free Admission for All Active-Duty and Retired Military

All active duty and retired service men and women will now receive free admission to the Hall of Fame year-round with a  valid military ID.

College Football Hall of Famer Chris Spielman (Ohio State), now an analyst for FOX Sports, will be the headline speaker at Landmark Church's 11th annual Gridiron Kickoff Aug. 2 in Montgomery, Ala.

College Football Hall of Fame coach Bill McCartney (Colorado) has been diagnosed with late-onset Dementia/Alzheimer's. The NFF sends its thoughts and prayers to Coach Mac and his family and friends.

In honor of the late Mike Sadler, who was an NFF National Scholar-Athlete in 2014, Michigan State athletics has established the Mike Sadler Legacy Football Scholarship Fund. Thousands gathered July 31 as Sadler was remembered during a ceremony at Spartan Stadium.

2015 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Jordan Dobrich (Nevada) was named the Mountain West's Male Scholar Athlete of the Year for the 2015-16 season.