GHSF Daily is expanding its Four Questions feature this season beyond head coaches to other voices in high school football. Today's interviewee is James Arnold, the assigner for the Etowah Valley Football Officials Association in Cartersville. Arnold has officiated Georgia high school football for 33 years.
James Arnold, official
1. What's the most memorable game that you've officiated? "If I had to name one, Calhoun vs. Buford in the final the first time Calhoun won a final [2011]. There was a lot of buzz. Both teams were sky high. Big crowd at the old Georgia Dome. Both teams were very aggressive from the start, and it went back and forth. Then Buford gets a late turnover and ties the game and we go to OT, which turned out to be the shortest OT I've ever had. Buford gets the ball first and fumbles on the first play. Calhoun kicks a field goal on the next play. Game over. In this game, we had all kind of fouls - personal, kick-catch inference, blocks in the back, holds, we had it all. But the crew got them all correct. They were all there. You officiate one play at a time, focus every play, and this crew did a great job of that the whole game. I could not have been more proud of those guys."
2. What is a rule, or a situation, that many fans, players or coaches don't understand or appreciate? "The difference between the high school, college and pro rules, the biggest being personal fouls. In high school, they do not include automatic first downs. The only fouls that have automatic first downs in high school are roughing the passer, kicker or holder. All personal fouls in college and pro are automatic first downs.
"The second-biggest is the quarterback was out of the tackle box when he threw the ball away. In high school, we do not have anything in the rules that refer to the tackle box. Also, we do not have the rule in high school that the quarterback can just throw the ball away to an area that doesn't have an eligible receiver in it as long as he is out of the tackle box.
"Then also, spiking to kill the clock. In high school, you cannot spike the ball from the shotgun position. The quarterback has be under center and spike it immediately after the snap.
"And finally, I would like everyone to understand that these people out there officiating these games are not professionals. We all have full-time jobs and families. We take pride in what we do, and we understand parents' and fans' frustrations during games. We strive to get everything right - God knows we do - but sometimes things are missed. That is life, and football is the greatest teacher of life there is - work ethic, joy, sadness and faith in your teammates. That's what everyone remembers about the game when we get older - the journey. If it doesn't go your way, do not be the person that takes away the joy of the game."
3. Who is the best player you've seen in a game that you've officiated? "Too many to count, but in the last few years, there are a couple that stand out. It could just be my memory going.
"Nick Chubb - Not the biggest or the fastest I've seen, but the biggest heart and the most driven. He would run over, around or by you, whatever it took to win. At Cedartown, he never came off the field. He did everything - running back, kickoff returns, punt returns, safety/linebacker.
"Trevor Lawrence - Best pure quarterback I've ever seen from the skinny ninth-grade starter to where he is now. I remember watching a game on video last season grading our officials, and this kid runs to the right, throws back to his left 45 yards in the air and hits a wide receiver in the corner in stride for a touchdown. Just glad our officials were in good position and got it right."
4. Which football or GHSA rules would you like to see changed? "Three rules: Adopt the NCAA rule to allow the quarterback to throw the ball away as long as he is out of the tackle box and it crosses the line of scrimmage; allow the quarterback to spike the ball from the shotgun position; and allow a 40-second clock. Marking the ball ready for play between every down is very subjective, especially late in games, and it would make the game more consistent to have a 40-second clock. But we then will have to look at adding the NCAA substitution rules, allowing the defense to match up on offensive subs, or it will not be fair. You could see mass subs the last five seconds of the 40-second clock. It's coming. Just a matter of time. Note that all rule changes come from the NFHS rules committee, which has reps from states across the country."
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