Linesman Position Card
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Your spot, your keys and your reads, situation by situation — the Linesman's card for a crew of five. You work the sideline opposite the press box. You are the white marker on every diagram.
Download the Linesman 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) — you |
| LJ | Line Judge |
| BJ | Back Judge |
Run and pass
Snap between the –10 and the +10.
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.
- Know the line to gain before the snap. Count the players on the line on your side of centre and signal the Line Judge.
- Show A where the line is with your backfield foot, then set your feet parallel and stand up straight.
- Motion on your side of centre is yours, and so is getting substitutes off on your sideline.
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: do they stand up? Then read the quarterback's eyes.
- The sideline is yours, goal line to goal line.
The three pass reads, in order
- Flat / bubble — Stay home. Be ready to open the door if the runner comes at you. Don't move until this read is done.
- Short / medium — Move downfield five, shoulders parallel, then stop. Over 75% of passes go 15 yards or less.
- Long — Turn and burn. Read the receiver running hard or the stop-and-go.
On a run
| Point of attack | Line play there, and receivers ahead of it. |
| Crossing over | Runner to the far side zone: come in to the near hash at 45° and clean up behind the Umpire. |
| Progress | Downfield foot in front, square off, no angling in. |
| Never | Hug the sideline all night. Get off it without running through players. |
Kicks
Free kick and scrimmage kick.
What you do
- Kickoff: the goal line on your sideline. Move up to the 10 if that team's first kick fell short of the 15.
- Stay on the sideline until the kick ends, and watch for a fair catch signal.
- Trail the runner by at least five yards and watch the blocks. Do not hurry to the dead-ball spot.
- Punt: stay on your sideline. Pause before moving downfield and read whether the kick could be blocked.
Your keys
- Kickoff — R touching the kick · wind · K out of bounds · blocks immediately ahead of the returner.
- Punt — snap · the kicker's catch · line play · the wide out.
- Wind the clock only if the kick is caught or touched in your side zone.
- Snap over the punter's head: move into the backfield and help the Referee.
Your spot
| Kickoff | Goal line, sideline opposite the press box. |
| Onside | Up to the 50, your sideline. Officiate it as a plane. |
| Punt | Your sideline at the line of scrimmage. |
| Short kick | Starting at the 10 and it goes toward the goal line? Hustle back outside the pylon. |
After the punt
| 30 yards or less | Jog downfield 10, then stop and watch. |
| More than 30 | Jog downfield 15 to 20, watching both teams. |
| Out of bounds | Jog beyond the spot, turn with your arm up, walk slowly back, wait for the Referee to chop. |
| Never | Overrun the play. Blocks ahead of the returner matter more. |
Goal line and place kicks
Snap on or inside the +10 · tee on the field.
What you do
- Goal line: two yards outside the sideline, on the restraining line. You must be standing on the goal line before the ball gets there.
- From the +10 to the +5, start moving at the snap. From the +5 in, hustle straight there, two yards outside the pylon.
- Runner dives at the pylon: back out so you can see the whole play. Never mirror a touchdown signal.
- 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.
- Know it's a touchdown, run in on the goal line. Not sure, run in short of it and find the ball first.
- Make eye contact before signalling. If anyone has an incomplete pass, that comes out immediately.
- 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. |
| Field goal | On the field numbers at the line. |
| Try | Same. Muddle huddle: 2 yds out of bounds, then hustle to the numbers if they shift. |
| Fake | Move immediately to the goal line, 2 yds outside the pylon. |
Selling it
| Be patient | Find the ball first. Better late and right. |
| Signal | Stop at the goal line, signal, pivot 90° and follow the runner. |
| Long FG | Move downfield when it's kicked. Short and made: hustle in toward the linemen. |
| Backside | Runner goes to the far pylon — pinch in. |
Between downs, clock and fouls
Every down, all night.
What you do
- Do not look over your shoulder on a close first down. Hold your spot and let the Line Judge rule it.
- 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. Swivel and watch them come back in.
- You work with the chain crew. Both wings walk off penalty yardage.
Your keys
- Wind twice when the spot is inbounds between the numbers and the sideline, unless it's an obvious first down.
- Close to a first: sprint in until you meet resistance. Whoever can see leather yells for the ball.
- Cross-field help: move into the field toward the hash so your partner can actually see you.
- Hat, not flag, when an A or K player goes out of bounds on his own.
Fouls
| Walk-off | Both wings walk it. Tell the head coach the down and distance both ways. |
| Chain | Five-yard walk-off near a first down: check the tape. |
| Sidelines | Yours in a fight. Keep non-players off the field. |
| Spot foul | Cover it. |
Housekeeping
| Out of timeouts | Tell the head coach. |
| Substitutes | Off the field on your sideline before the snap. |
| Line to gain | Point it out to the Line Judge on third and fourth down. |
| 5 yards or less | Move to the line to gain at the snap, like goal line mechanics. |
When you work a crew of 4
What changes for you.
- Kickoff: you're at the receivers' 10 opposite the press box, not on the goal line — and the Referee mirrors you at the 10 on the press box side.
- Pass: every receiver on your side is yours, and the middle of the field is dual coverage with the Line Judge. Talk across before the snap.
- Goal line: step into the end zone to see a catch near the end line. There is no Back Judge on it.
- Field goal and try: if you're the wing looking at the Referee's back, you release to the end line and take an upright with the Umpire.
- Run: you get downfield blocks on your half with nobody behind you. Stay wider and longer before coming in to clean up.