Communication amongst officials is critical. (Ivan Morozov)
Mercifully, the 2025 Tech football season has come to an end, and there are clearly brighter days ahead of us. And what better way to prepare for what should be a much-improved 2026 squad than to more fully understand the game and how it’s officiated?
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Thanks, Tristan, for your efforts again this season. Your columns always make for interesting reading.
TechHokie13
Thanks so much, glad you've enjoyed it!
jperez
Not a Tech game but did you have any thoughts on the game tying TD in the 4th quarter of the ACC championship? To my untrained eye it looked a lot like illegal touching and it not even warranting extended review shocked me.
TechHokie13
Sorry for the delay, but I thought it was a good call. You can see the deep wing toss his hat, indicating he saw the receiver step out, so he clearly made the judgement that the WR was forced out, re-established himself inbounds, and then legally caught the ball.
The broadcast shot doesn't give a great shot at it (stop me if you've heard that one before), and the replay starts a bit late as well, but I think there's enough there to support that call. Just about *any* contact on a receiver near the sideline will lead to the conclusion he was forced out. The only exception is if the receiver is obviously straight-up avoiding the DB rather than fighting through that contact (which would make him more likely to draw a holding/DPI flag anyways).
abangor
Love the series! Like Xs and Os, but for how the refs work.
I really appreciate your content. As a former HS coach, I usually found officials to be good guys who love the game and do their best to facilitate it. BUT...I will always disagree with you on the so-called blindside block, so long as the blocker gets his head across the front. That's how I coached it, and I think it's a legitimate block in a fluid situation. It's football, not basketball. Keep your head on a swivel.
TechHokie13
Much appreciated!
And I get it, that's how I was coached too. But I've seen enough injuries as a result of that type of block that I will always be 100% in favor of the BSB rule. It comes down to one player participating in the contact while another is concentrating elsewhere. That's as unsafe a recipe as you can get on a football field.
Plus, the rule encourages that shimmy-shield block, and how dare you try to take away the absolute joy that is watching that action unfold? ?
VTBuck20
It's a basketball screen. We can agree to disagree ?
HokieRob
The blindside block is one of the stupidest rules in football. Rule no. 1: Be aware of all going on around you. If you don't? Wham. One of the rules that pussifies football.
TechHokie13
This is one where we're just gonna have to disagree. I remember from my own LB/punt coverage days, we were coached to have our head on a swivel, but when the ballcarrier is right in front of you, the defender's supposed to have his eyes on his hips to ensure he targets his tackle properly and makes the stop. Thinking a tackler would pick his head up a couple of yards away from a returner to double-check where a blocker is at is just not a realistic expectation. Even if he's aware of it, what's he supposed to do? Avoid the tackle to absorb the block safely?
Every single time I've seen or called a BSB, the blocker has been cleanly beaten or is taking a cheap shot. And there are plenty of ways to deliver a perfectly effective block in a much safer manner for all involved. Fans/reporters/coaches are free to disagree, but I'm firmly in support of the BSB rule.
Sloth
Apologies if you already weighed in on this, but going back a few games what was your thought on the offsides call against VT on the FSU field goal early in the 3rd quarter? VT player clearly jumped early, but got back before the snap and there didn't appear to be any resulting movement from any FSU player. Why was the flag thrown? Appreciate your articles and input!
TechHokie13
I really wanted to cover that one, but we never got a down-the-line view on the broadcast, so it would have been really tricky to draw any firm conclusions. I speculate too much as it is here ?. All I can say is that in the short wing's judgement, the defender didn't get himself all the way back before the snap started. I don't have evidence one way or another to support/refute that though.
Would have been a cool opportunity to shed some light on what short wings have to process/be aware of pre-snap. Alas.
CaryHokie
Enjoyed your articles and look forward to the next one!
TechHokie13
Thanks for reading, I look forward to writing the next one!
VT Trainman
Thank you sir for answering my questions. You truly have made me more sympathetic towards the refs and less angry at calls. I did boo my best at the inadvertent whistle. I truly appreciate your input and I always look forward to your articles.
TechHokie13
Thanks for reading and commenting! I think I actually had one more of yours in the queue, but realized I should probably spread the love around a bit more ?
I'm happy to hear that! Though I 100% support booing the inadvertent whistle. It's a nightmare scenario and cardinal sin for any official, and we expect/deserve the wrath which follows.
Lancelot Link
This content is fantastic, we are so fortunate to have a VT alum on this Bd giving us this level of insight into such an influential part of college football. For me, I’ve learned how much I don’t know about refereeing the game & how complicated and intricate it is. TY to my fellow Hokie!
TechHokie13
Much appreciated! Getting into officiating myself really opened my eyes to how much of the game I was missing; I'm glad I've been able to pass on a bit of insight. Go Hokies!
Solarex
I thoroughly appreciate what I have learned from you this year, and look forward to your articles in 2026. Thank you
TechHokie13
Thanks so much, glad you've enjoyed the series!
sunnyd
Please give us an update on what was said to our returning players by the new coach. Does he want them?
TechHokie13
I think you intended that comment for Chris or Andy ?
astrohokie
Great Stuff ! Thank you Sir !
TechHokie13
Thanks for reading, much appreciated!
Tallwino
Good stuff, thanks. And thanks Will.
TechHokie13
Thanks for reading!
Va Tech 71
when are you going to do an article on pry and other assistant coaches hiring?
Tallwino
Wut he said!
TechHokie13
You're gonna have to take that up with Chris. I just work here (on a freelance basis) ?
TomTurkey
As sweet as SEC SHORTS but real-life. Officiating was work but fun. The games need you. To walk unnoticed off the field of play was my goal. Let the teams celebrate or regroup to themselves.
TechHokie13
If I'm being honest, I do my best to channel my inner Vandy Pimp every time I take the field ?
Though, seriously, I'll settle for both teams being equally mad at me. I get suspicious when I hear fans tell us we did a great job on the walk out.
Shoot, I had a parent tell us we were the best crew they'd had all season *by far* one week. I was only slightly offended, given that was my 3rd trip there that season ?
MDHokie79
"...beyond all doubt by clear and obvious video evidence..." Ergo, the crew that reversed our TD last season vs the U, without ANY video evidence at all, was essentially criminally negligent and should have been, at a minimum, fired, right?
TechHokie13
Fired? Maybe not. A talkin'-to? Relegated to the Idaho Potato bowl in December? Absolutely on the table ?.
I covered that decision the Monday after the game last year, and the tldr is I'd say they got to what was likely the correct decision, but did so in the most insane way possible. Of course, that game was basically on its own responsible for the ACC implementing the live look into the Comand Center during replays, so that's kind of nice I suppose.
RhinoVT
Fantastic as always! Thanks, Tristan.
TechHokie13
Thanks so much for reading and commenting!
GO_HOKIES_GO
Great content - have a super holiday season and I hope you are back to provide more insight next year.
TechHokie13
Thanks, and same to you! I'm certainly hoping to be around!
38 Comments