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can even be considered for a college job, aspiring officials follow a multiyear path to Division I. McGinn's three-decade career includes 15 years spent in high school and lower-division college offici- ating before he became a Big East refer- ee. He spent 11 years in that conference, working the Orange and Rose bowls along the way, before joining the Big Ten when he was hired by the conference's director of officiating, Bill Carollo. Each year, the job begins in earnest in February, as officials work team prac- tices and scrimmages while holding their own off-season meetings. Con- stantly engaging in film study through- out the year, crews stay sharp during the summer months leading into the season via video and tests. All of it – the years of experience, the constant interaction with the game and daily preparation – is integral to each official's success work- ing the games that really count. "It really comes down to preparation and experience. That's why we're preparing now in April, May and June for September. We're not going to roll out of bed on Labor Day and walk out on the field," McGinn said. "Experience is huge. The fact that we've worked a number of games and we've worked at the different levels to work our way up, as opposed to even a player just coming off the field and then going into a stripe, it wouldn't be the same. He wouldn't have the confidence based on the expe- rience and the preparation to be able to pull it off." The responsibilities of the various of- ficials are simultaneously simple and complicated. Through a series of pre-snap checks – from down and distance, to the clock, to the players on the field, substitutions and more – each official helps ensure the legality of a play before it even be- gins. From there, the officials use a spe- cific set of "keys" that help them share responsibility for the 22 players and 57,600 square feet of football field. The keys dictate their focus on a particular play or player from beginning to end. But the relative simplicity ends there. Officials must stay with their keys for the duration of the play, implementing and interpreting a complex rulebook on the fly. Penalties and no-calls, catches and no-catches, turnovers and downed plays – all become an official's responsi- bility in his specific section of the play, with assistance from the next-closest official when needed. The system re- quires that each of the officials has con- fidence in the abilities of his colleagues; cooperation is a crucial, often nonver- bal, aspect of the job. "When you work as a crew and you trust the individuals, then you're just focusing on doing your job," McGinn ex- plained. "Just like a football team with an offense, if they're doing their job, then the play should operate correctly. It's the same with us." The best intentions and practice aren't enough to ever ensure perfection. As Penn State fans and followers of every other college football program can at- test, the critical mistakes or controver- sial judgment calls can be maddening. But, for the group of men striving to do their absolute best, the only rooting in- terest during a game is toward the entire working team of officials making the correct calls. Running alongside Steratore in the second quarter, I witnessed the effort for myself. Lined up for a second-and-2 just out- side the red zone, Blue quarterback Trace McSorley double-pumped and unloaded a floater to the front right cor- ner of the end zone. Posted at the pylon, Steratore watched wideout Saeed Black- nall cradle the ball and tip-toe twice be- fore continuing out of bounds. Deliber- ate in making the call, Steratore re- viewed the play mentally for a few sec- onds before raising both arms to signal the touchdown. His hesitation was so subtle that it likely went unnoticed by the 65,000 fans at Beaver Stadium, but it was no surprise that he got the call right. In my first and likely last foray into the unique world of college football officiating, that so much experience, technique and effort went into the call was the eye-opener for me, new contacts and all. ■ 111 E. Beaver Ave s State College, PA 16801 www.The-Phyrst.com 814.234.4406 137 Elmwood St. s State College, PA 16801 www.HappyValleyBeer.com Wood-fire Grill 12 Beers on Tap 200 Year Old Barn 821 Cricklewood Dr. s Toftrees, State College www.AmericanAleHouse.net 814.237.9701 s Piano Bar s Sommelier 814.238.1406 814.234.7700 s 1611 Atherton St. s State College 814.941.7788 s Plank Rd. Exit s Altoona www.ChampsSportsGrill.net s Best Game Bar s Large Groups Welcome c lc e W We s p u o r G e g r a L s a e B m a st G e B s S n S h 1 A 1 6 1 0 0 7 7 4. 3 2 4. 1 8 me co r a l l C S r G s rt o p S s p m a h C . www s t i x . E d k R n a l P s 8 8 7 7 1. 4 9 . 4 1 8 S s . t n S o t r e h t 1 A 1 6 1 s 0 0 7 7 4. 3 2 4. 1 8 t e n . l l i r na o o t l A e g e l l o C e at t S

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