NFL adds seven officials from collegiate ranks

The NFL announced its roster of 121 game officials for this season on Friday, which is three fewer than last year.

Among the newcomers, seven college officials were promoted to the NFL including Land Clark (Pac-12), Matt Edwards (Big Ten), Chad Hill (SEC), Anthony Jeffries (SEC), Tony Josselyn (SEC), Mark Stewart (Big 12) and Don Willard (Big Ten).

The SEC lost three officials while Big Ten lost two. The ACC was the only Power Five conference not to lose an official to the NFL.

Though the NFL gained seven game officials, it lost 10. Longtime referees Terry McAulay, Ed Hochuli, Gene Steratore and Jeff Triplette retired earlier this year. The NFL employees 17 referees.

McAulay will serve as an on-air rules analyst for games on NBC Sunday Night Football. He will also work Notre Dame games for NBC. Steratore will join CBS as a rules analyst for the NFL and college basketball.

Hochuli joined the league in 1990 and Triplette in 1996. McAulay officiated in the NFL for 20 years and Steratore for 15 seasons.

The other six who will not be back include side judge Laird Hayes, field judge Buddy Horton, line judge Jim Howey, field judge Jon Lucivansky, line judge Ron Marinucci and down judge Ed Walker.

Hayes, Horton, Howey and Marinucci each had at least 19 years of NFL experience. Walker worked in the NFL for four years and Lucivansky nine years.