Definition

1. Noun:
   • A football official: A "back judge" is a specific official in American and Canadian football who is part of the officiating crew. This official is primarily responsible for watching actions in the defensive backfield, such as pass coverage, and for monitoring the game clock and play clock.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The back judge threw a flag for pass interference. (The official responsible for the defensive backfield penalized a player for illegal contact.)
  • The back judge signaled that the play clock had expired. (The official monitoring the timing rules indicated a time violation.)

Advanced Usage

• Positioning and Role: The "back judge" typically positions themselves deep in the defensive backfield, behind the secondary. Their key responsibilities include ruling on the legality of actions on forward passes, counting defensive players, and ensuring proper conduct of players in their area of coverage.

Variants and Related Words

• Official (n): A person who enforces the rules in a sport.
• Referee (n): The head official or a general term for a sports official.
• Umpire (n): Another type of official in football, typically positioned in the defensive backfield near the linebackers.
• Side Judge (n): Another deep official in football with similar but distinct responsibilities to the back judge.

Synonyms

• Official: A general term for a person who presides over a game.
• Field Judge: In some football rule sets and levels, the duties of the back judge and field judge are similar or identical.

Related Phrases

• Throw a flag: The action of an official, such as the back judge, penalizing a rule violation.
• Blow the whistle: The action of an official, such as the back judge, signaling the end of a play or a stoppage.

Noun

1. a football official