We’re less than three months out from when the USFL plans to hit the field. Yet, there’s still a lot to learn about the new league. We have all of the teams, half of the coaches and many are still waiting to hear the rule set.
With Mike Pereira heading up officiating for the USFL, you know the league is taking it seriously. Since we first learned he was coming on board, we haven’t heard much else. Well, that is… until now.
Thanks to @NewsUSFL on Twitter, he broke down Pereira’s appearance on the Green Light with Chris Long, where some more details are shed on the league’s plans.
-DPI will be a spot of the foul penalty over 15 yards if the defender deliberately tackles the receiver
-32 of 35 officials are from the NFL Developmental List, “the next group up”— USFL News (@Newsusfl) January 19, 2022
This is the first time we’re getting a look at the officiating standards that will utilized in the 2022 season.
Pereira states that the rules committee will be governed by a group of almost one, essentially himself. Additionally, 32 of the 35 officials will be from the NFL Development list. This is a very similar approach to what we saw last year in The Spring League.
In regards to reviewable plays, Pereira also give us some more details. Roughing the passer and hits on defenseless players will be reviewable in the USFL. Ultimately, this is a good thing. Safety is a huge factor in modern football, and this should help ensure that the teams play clean on the field.
Pass interference calls will result in a 15-yard penalty, If the spot of the foul was over 15-yards. Otherwise, the ball will be moved to where the foul occurred.
Defensive pass interference will be a spot of the foul penalty over 15-yards only if the defender deliberately tackles the receiver.
All in all, this just makes us more anxious to learn the full USFL ruleset. As we mentioned, the season is right around the corner; so we expect to see it come soon.
The USFL sent out notices to local news outlets in Birmingham, AL yesterday announcing they will be holding a press conference next week in the city. It’s been almost all but confirmed that the league will be playing in Birmingham this year, so this seems to be the official announcement many have been waiting for.
But, with four more coaches set to be revealed, there’s a lot speculating that we may get a couple announcements in one.
You can listen to Pereira’s full segment on the show below, it starts around 1:04:36.
We’ll just need to stay tuned to see what the USFL has instore for everyone next week, but as always stay tuned to USFL Newsroom for all the latest information as it comes in.
What are your thoughts on the officiating items Pereira dropped on the Green Light podcast? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments below or join the conversation on Discord.
