Connect with us
1st and 25 podcast advertisement

News

College all-star games are used as an NFL officiating pipeline

The NFL officiating department has worked with the invitational all-star games to handpick the officials they want to evaluate for development and for potential future hires.

Published

on

Since the termination of NFL Europe in 2007, the NFL lacked a way to evaluate prospective officials. That all changed in 2013 with the creation of the development program. Officials in this program typically officiate games during the NFL preseason and then return to their respective collegiate conferences for the regular season.

The NFL officiating department has worked with the invitational all-star games to handpick the officials they want to evaluate for development and for potential future hires. This year there are four games to evaluate officiating talent: the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, the East-West Shrine Bowl, the Reese’s Senior Bowl, and the inaugural HBCU Legacy Bowl. The years each official has been in the Officiating Development Program and/or worked an invitational all-star game are listed in the rosters below.

NFLPA Collegiate Bowl

  Name ODP Seasons NCAA Conf.
R Duane Heydt 2019-2021 ACC
U Frank Villar 2020-21 Pac-12 (R)
DJ Josiah Ford ACC
LJ Cat Conti 2015 Mountain West
FJ Alonzo Ramsey 2019-21 Big 12
SJ Jeff Shears 2021 ACC
BJ Tyree Walton 2021 Big 12

East-West Shrine Bowl

We requested the crew for this game, but did not receive the roster. Official statistics showing the officials was not posted by the game’s media staff, so we obtained the following from our sources:

  Name ODP Seasons NCAA Conf.
R Bryan Banks 2020-21 Big Ten
U Brandon Cruse 2018-21 Big 12 (R)
DJ Max Causey 2018-21 Pac-12
LJ Brian Sakowski 2020-21 Pac-12
Deep Lo Van Pham 2018-21 Big 12
Deep Martin Hankins 2018-21 SEC
Deep Jacques Hooper 2018-21 ACC
Deep Glen Fucik 2018-21 SEC

The deep officials rotated throughout the game.

Reese’s Senior Bowl

  Name ODP Seasons NCAA Conf.
R Alex Moore 2021 ACC
U Mike Morten 2014-18, 20-21 (former NFL LB) ACC
DJ Derek Anderson 2020-21 Big 12
LJ Robin DeLorenzo 2017-21 Big Ten
FJ Tuta Salaam 2020-21 Big 12
SJ Raymond Daniel 2018-21 Big Ten
BJ Joe Johnson 2017-21 Pac-12
ALT Daniel Young 2021 Big 12 (BJ)

HBCU Legacy Bowl

  Name ODP Seasons NCAA Conf.
R Tuta Salaam 2020-21 Big 12
U Marcus Woods 2019-21 ACC
DJ Carlos Owens 2021 Big 12
LJ Brian Perry 2019-21 ACC
FJ LaShell Nelson 2016-21 Big Ten
SJ Sean Petty 2021 SEC
BJ Tra Boger 2019-21 SEC
Alt Henrietta Powell 2021 MEAC

Ben Austro is the editor and founder of Football Zebras and the author of So You Think You Know Football?: The Armchair Ref's Guide to the Official Rules (on sale now)

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement

Latest Podcasts