@Zebra Frog
I have been watching the Div III Championship game, and it seems like the officials are very young. In the CFB model do officials start at the lower levels and then work their way up to FCS and then FBS over time? Do any of them start right off at FBS? I guess I am also curious how they decide which specialty to choose, like Back Judge or Linesman. Or can all officials work all of the different specialties? And I guss the last question in this category is how does one become the Head Ref? Is it its own specialty, or do they come from the other specialties, by invitation?
In a separate direction, I am curious about pay. Are all officials paid the same, from Div III to Div I? If not, are there different pay scales from say, Big 12 to SEC? Finally, is pay figured for the season, or per game? I don't need to know actual dollar figures, just the basics of how it all works.
Great questions!
Yes, you will normally see younger officials working Div III games, even playoffs. I think most P5 conferences require that their new-hires work a minimum number of games in smaller divisions. I have never seen an official go straight to a P5 conference from high school. They just aren't ready and have to gain experience working D3, D2 and G5 games. As for their choosing which position they work, the only requirement for this is for Umpires, they must be able to hide their Snickers someplace, which means they are usually a little larger than most of the other crew members.
Actually, when officials first start, most of the time they start by working the flank positions, H and L. Then, they might transition to F, B, or S depending on what they feel comfortable doing. One of the things that college supervisors look for is how well they move on the field. Very seldom will you find a deep official that is overweight and can't run. Most can work any position on the field, and sometimes do if another official gets injured and there isn't an alternate available. Sometimes, an official will be working as an F or S, but the supervisor will want to move him to the B position as that is what he has an opening for. This is a seamless transition for most. To be hired as a P5 official, the supervisor is always trying to find somebody that has "the look." As for becoming an R, most just gravitate to wanting the responsibility of working that position. A lot of officials that work other positions just don't want to be an R. In some conferences, they will take an R out of a G5 conference and have him work the C spot or another position for a year or 2 before moving him to the R, others will move him into the league as an R immediately. It just depends on the supervisor.
As for pay, the lower divisions do not make anywhere near with P5 does. In fact, those that work junior colleges and DIII games rarely get paid enough to cover their expenses. They spend more than what they get paid. The higher you get, the more you make. Some P5 conferences pay more than others, but they are fairly close. Some will pay you a flat fee per game. This means they have to cover their travel, hotels, food, out of whatever that fee is. If you are lucky and have a year where you can drive to the game, you might make a little more than those that have to fly. A number of hotels at game sites require a minimum 2-night stay, which the officials hate. If they are lucky to be able to drive in on a Friday, have a 11:00 or 12:00 kick, they might be able to leave after the game and not have to spend the money for another night in a hotel. Of if they had to fly in, they might be able to catch a flight out after the game. The conference office chooses the hotels, and negotiates the prices of the rooms. But, some places, demand the 2-night stay, their reasoning is that they could rent that room to fans and make more money.
Hope this is the information you wanted! Keep the questions coming. If I have insight, I'm willing to share. If I just don't know, I have a lot of friends working P5 games and can, normally, get an answer. What they won't share is info about a judgement call that was made. Since I'm not active any longer, I don't mind sharing my thoughts. I've seen a number of calls so far in the bowl season I didn't agree with, but overall, the crews working the games have done a good job.
