NCAA Division I Football Officials Gather in Irving to Discuss the Rules of the Game

The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced earlier this week that the annual winter meeting of Division I conference coordinators for football officials was taking place for the tenth year in Irving, Texas. The meeting, which was held Jan. 24-25, was led by Steve Shaw, the College Football Officiating (CFO) National Coordinator. The meeting has taken place at NFF headquarters since 2013, and this year took place at the Omni Las Colinas Hotel down street from NFF Headquarters with plans to return in 2024 to the NFF location. NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell kicked off the meeting with opening remarks. (Courtesy of the National Football Foundation.)

“We are again grateful to the National Football Foundation for welcoming the coordinators for our winter meeting to their hometown,” said Shaw. “The Foundation and the officiating side of college football both exist to make this a better game, and the coordinators are pleased to continue our relationship. The partnership with the NFF is extremely important to the coordinators in our joint work for the good of this great game.”

The CFO was formed in 2008 by the NCAA and the Collegiate Commissioners’ Association to ensure the consistent application of NCAA football playing rules and policies around the country. Mid-American Conference Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher currently serves as the chairman of the CFO Board of Managers. The officiating coordinators from all 23 NCAA Division I conferences, covering both the Football Bowl Subdivision and the Football Championship Subdivision, participated in the meeting. The meeting covers the most recent rule interpretations, officiating mechanics and other aspects of officiating. College Football Playoff Executive Director Bill Hancock, headquartered in Irving too, also met with the group.

“The collegiate conferences invest heavily and work tirelessly to ensure officiating proficiency, and the coordinators of each conference comprise the key group of dedicated professionals who care deeply about officiating success,” said Hatchell. “We are delighted that this important meeting is again taking place in Las Colinas, and we are pleased to welcome them to town and support their efforts.”

The January meeting represents one of two annual meetings that take place, allowing the members of the CFO to regularly exchange ideas, analyze video, discuss play situations and ensure the consistent application of the rules between the conferences around the country. The officiating coordinators play the lead role at their respective conferences in overseeing all aspects of their football officiating, including training, evaluating and assigning officials to games for both the regular season and postseason. In addition to hosting the meeting, the NFF supports the CFO by distributing the rule changes at the start of each season.

Shaw, who became the CFO National Coordinator of Football Officials in March 2020, previously served the Southeastern Conference and Sun Belt Conference as coordinator of officials. He also serves as the Secretary-Rules Editor of the NCAA Football Rules Committee, a position critical to the development of competition rules and policies. Shaw excelled as a head referee for 15 years in the SEC, earning 14 postseason assignments, including two national championship games. He has been a leader in revamping the sport’s officiating mechanics and advancing the use of technology to assist officials.

About The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame

Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl “Red” Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters in 47 states, NFF programs include the selection and induction of members of the College Football Hall of Fame; the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta; Future For Football; The William V. Campbell Trophy®; the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments; the NFF National High School Academic Excellence Award& Hatchell Cup presented by the Original Bob’s Steak and Chop House ; and a series of initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include Catapult, Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments, Jostens, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the New York Athletic Club, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation and the Sports Business Journal. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @NFFNetwork and learn more at footballfoundation.org.