Line Judge Position Card

August 26, 2026

Your spot, your keys and your reads, situation by situation — the Line Judge's card for a crew of five. You work the press box sideline and you own the clock. You are the white marker on every diagram.

Download the Line Judge Position Card (PDF, 2 pages) — print at 100% on Letter, two-sided, flip on the long edge.

Built from the OHSAA Gold Book Brief & Concise mechanics for a crew of 5, which follows the NFHS Officials Manual. Associations amend these — check Vermont's guidance before teaching it.

Who's who

	Position
R	Referee (white hat)
U	Umpire
LM	Linesman (H/DJ)
LJ	Line Judge — you
BJ	Back Judge

Run and pass

Snap between the –10 and the +10.

Run — the whole crew of five, with the Line Judge highlighted as the white marker ten yards outside the widest offensive player on the press box sideline. — Run

Pass — the whole crew of five, with the Line Judge highlighted as the white marker ten yards outside the widest offensive player, taking the outside receivers. — Pass

What you do

Ten yards outside the widest A player, never inside the numbers. If A is near the sideline, take steps out of bounds.
You have primary responsibility for the game clock. Talk to the timer before the game.
Know the line to gain before the snap and point it out to the Linesman on third and fourth down.
Count the players on the line on your side of centre and signal the Linesman. Punch off the nearest player who's off it.

Your keys

Run — snap · line play · blocks downfield · the runner.
Pass — snap · player(s) · QB · zone · ball. The outside receivers are yours.
Read the guard and tackle first, then the quarterback's eyes. His first look is usually where it goes.
The sideline is yours, goal line to goal line.

The three pass reads, in order

Flat / bubble — Stay home. Don't move until this read is done.
Short / medium — Move downfield five, shoulders parallel, then stop. Adjust for a five-yard cushion from the receiver.
Long — Turn and burn.

Straddle the sideline on a sideline catch. Give the catch signal only on the sideline — never into the field.

The clock is yours


Before the game	Talk with the timer. You time halftime, weather delays and the interval before overtime.
Restart	Make sure the scoreboard actually starts after the signal. If it doesn't, everyone signals.
Down box wrong	Point above the Linesman's head repeatedly. Soft whistle only if you must.
With the Referee	Signal clock status while he faces the press box.

Kicks

Free kick and scrimmage kick.

Kickoff — the whole crew of five, with the Line Judge highlighted as the white marker on the goal line on the press box sideline. — Kickoff

Punt — the whole crew of five, with the Line Judge highlighted as the white marker straddling the line of scrimmage until the kick crosses it. — Punt

What you do

Kickoff: the goal line on the press box sideline. Stand at the field numbers with a stop signal to the Referee until the clock reads 12:00.
Move up to the 10 if that team's first kick fell short of the 15. Trail the runner by at least five yards.
Punt: straddle the line of scrimmage until the kick crosses it — use the down box as your reference.
Stay on your sideline on a punt; an out-of-bounds kick is live for you.

Your keys

Kickoff — R touching the kick · wind · K out of bounds · blocks immediately ahead of the returner.
Punt — snap · line play · blocking backs · the kick crossing the line · blocking.
Wind the clock only if the kick is caught or touched in your side zone.
Kick out of bounds: flag at the spot, then hustle to the head coach for his choice.

Your spot


Kickoff	Goal line, press box sideline.
Onside	Up to the 50, your sideline. Officiate it as a plane.
Punt	Straddling the line until the kick crosses it.
Safety kick	The receivers' 30.

After the punt


30 yards or less	Jog downfield 10, then stop and watch.
More than 30	Jog downfield 15 to 20.
Rolls out deep	Look to the Back Judge — he has the angle and he won't come to the sideline.
Tipped	Give the tip signal twice.

Goal line and place kicks

Snap on or inside the +10 · tee on the field.

Goal line — the whole crew of five, with the Line Judge highlighted as the white marker two yards outside the sideline, standing on the goal line. — Goal line

Field goal and try — the whole crew of five, with the Line Judge highlighted as the white marker on the field numbers at the line of scrimmage. — Field goal & try

What you do

Goal line: two yards outside the sideline, on the goal line. Be standing on it before the ball arrives.
You have primary responsibility for deciding a close first down. If it's close, stop the clock and look; if it isn't, start it.
Close means measure. Secure a new ball after you mark the spot for the Linesman and the chains.
Field goal and try: stand on the field numbers at the line of scrimmage.

Your keys

Place kick — snap · fake · the near tight end or wingback block.
Never mirror a touchdown signal. Eye contact first.
Be patient and find the ball before you sell anything.
Fake on a try short of the goal line: mark forward progress only.

Your spot


Goal line	2 yds outside the sideline, on the goal line.
FG / try	On the field numbers at the line.
Muddle huddle	2 yds out of bounds, then hustle to the numbers if they shift to a kick.
Fake	Move immediately to the goal line, 2 yds outside the pylon.

First down


You decide	Best look from across the field, and you're usually downfield.
Close	Stop the clock and look. Then measure if it's close.
Don't measure	Forward stake beyond a hash and the spot behind the same hash, on a well-marked field.
Sprint in	Until you meet resistance. Yell for the ball if you can see leather.

Between downs, clock and fouls

Every down, all night.

What you do

Never spot the ball in the side zone. Mark it with your downfield foot and hold it for the Umpire.
Runner out of bounds: stop the clock twice immediately, then turn and watch.
Both wings walk off penalty yardage, and the wing tells the head coach the down and distance both ways.
Sidelines are yours in a fight — keep non-players from leaving the bench.

Your keys

Wind twice when the spot is inbounds between the numbers and the sideline, unless it's an obvious first down.
Inbounds near the sideline on a first down: timeout signal only — nobody winds.
Cross-field help: move into the field toward the hash so your partner can see you.
Hat, not flag, when an A or K player goes out of bounds on his own.

Clock duties


Two minutes	Somebody must actually see the scoreboard stop. Say who.
Broken clock	Announce the time at nine, six, four and two minutes, loudly.
TV game	Hold the Referee and Umpire with a stop sign until the coordinator says they're ready.
Out of timeouts	Tell the head coach.

Housekeeping


Substitutes	Off the field on your sideline before the snap.
Measurement	Secure a new ball once the spot is marked.
Coin toss	Press box side with the Back Judge. Delay until the far side reaches the numbers.
5 yards or less	Move to the line to gain at the snap.

When you work a crew of 4

What changes for you.

You pick up clock status to the Referee — whether it starts on the ready or the snap. That's the Back Judge's job in a crew of 5.
Kickoff: you're at the 50 on the press box sideline, not the goal line.
Pass: every receiver on your side is yours, and the middle is dual coverage with the Linesman.
Punt: you still hold the line until the kick crosses it, but the Umpire is deep instead of a Back Judge.
Goal line: step into the end zone to see a catch near the end line — nobody is on it.