Leadership and instructors

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 I live in Beaumont Texas with my wife of 51 years. We have a son, Chris Ford, and a grandson, Layne Ford. I started officiating Texas High School Football in 1989, where I worked numerous Quarter Finals, Semi-Finals and ended my high school career with a Texas High School State Championship game in Dallas at Old Texas Stadium in 2004. I got hired in the SWAC Football Conference in 2003 and worked for supervisor George Coleman until 2006 when I was asked by Jim Harvey to come over to Southland Conference and I started working there in 2006. In 2014 I was asked by Byron Boston to come and help start a Replay Program in the Southland so I went in as a Replay Communicator in the Southland Conference. In 2015 I was moved to Replay Official for Southland and worked there until 2017, where I was moved to a communicator in the Big 12 where I worked until 2019. In 2019 I was advanced to the Mountain West as Replay Official where I worked for Greg Burks until he promoted me in 2021 to Replay Official for the Big 12 where I still work today. I have earned a Bowl game every year I have been a Replay Official, 2018 Redbox Bowl, 2020 Frisco Bowl, 2021 New Orleans Bowl, 2022 MWC Championship, and 2022 Cheese-it Bowl. In 2020 I was hired as Supervisor of Replay for Conference USA by Coordinator of Officials, Mike Defee and still holds that position today. Ronnie is currently the Supervisor of Replay in Conference USA and Mountain West Conference under the direction of the Coordinator of Officials, Mike Defee. 

 After a rewarding 13 year Division 1 on-field career, Bill moved to the Replay booth in 2017. He has worked as a Replay Official and Communicator in the Southland Conference, CUSA, Big12, Mountain West and is currently a Replay Official in the ACC. He was also honored by being assigned the 2022 NAIA National Championship and the 2023 Mountain West Championship game as the Replay Official. His Bowl experiences include the Celebration, Frisco, Myrtle Beach and Las Vegas Bowls.

Bill’s past experience on the field, and in the replay booth, along with his earlier career as a corporate trainer for AT&T, combines to a skillset allowing him to present the Replay process in a logical, informative and entertaining method.
 

Eric lives in LaPorte, Texas, he has worked a total of 15 years as a football official.  Eric began his officiating career in 2011 as a member of the Houston Chapter of the Texas Association of Football Officials (TASO).  Eric officiated two State Championships, multiple State Quarterfinals and Semi Finals as Head Linesman, Line Judge and Referee. Eric also has served as District 10 Director on the TASO Board of Directors for the last three years.  As a member of the TASO Board he also services as Chairman of the Testing Committee and a member of the Education Committee.  Eric has a passion for helping others learn their craft of football officiating whether it be on the field or replay.  In 2023 Eric joined the Mountain West Conference as a Replay Communicator.  In 2025 Eric was promoted to Replay Official in the Mountain West Conference.  Accomplishments include working the 2023 68 Ventures Bowl, 2024 Fenway Bowl and 2024 Mountain West Championship.  Eric and his wife Tracy have been married for 26 years and have two adult children Joshua and Shelby.  Eric is an Account Executive for a Software Company specializing in Contractor Data Management..

Todd Rath began his replay career in 2019 as a Replay Communicator in Conference USA. After

four seasons in that role, he was selected in 2023 to serve as a Replay Official for the conference.

In 2025, Todd moved into the Conference USA/Mountain West Replay Command Center in a

collaborative role.

His postseason assignments include the 2021 Hawaii Bowl, the 2022 Conference USA

Championship, the 2023 First Responder Bowl, and the 2024 Game Above Sports Bowl.

Jim lives in Ogden, Utah.  He spent 25 years on the field working HS football before retiring from the field. Jim worked 5 state championships over those years both as an LJ and a Referee.  He served on the Utah HS Football Officials Association, the Northern Utah Football Officials Association board for 17 years as President, and Sec/Treasurer. His goal has always been to give back to the game and the associations that made his career possible.  

When replay started in NCAA, Jim started helping where possible, as a volunteer for many years, Sideline Replay Assistant, Red Hat, Assistant Replay tech, Replay Tech all at Utah State for both the old WAC and MWC. Replay Intern, Replay Communicator and Replay Official for the Big Sky Conference , during which he was selected as the Replay Communicator in the 2021 DFCS Playoffs. During his 32nd year in officiating in 2024 he was hired as a Replay Official in the Mountain West Conference, where he was selected to work the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl. He is also a member of the Armed Forces Bowl Committee.

Jim and his wife Christy have been married 32 years, he credits her with his ongevity in officiating; acknowledging, without a supportive partner none of us could do this. He is  a Nursing Resource for Ensign Health Services and loves his role as a teacher, mentor and leadership developer, working to dignify long term care in the eyes of the world. 

Jess is starting his 12th year in Replay.  He has worked as a Sideline Replay Assistant in the WAC, a Communicator in the Big Sky and now defunct Alliance of American Football and a Replay Official in the Big Sky, Mountain West and is currently working in the Atlantic Coast Conference.  He has been assigned the 68 Ventures Bowl as a Replay Official in the past.

Jess’ love for Replay shows by his excitement as he talks about and he loves being in the classroom to help others improve and succeed.  Jess is married to his wife Allison of 15 years and has 4 children, Shaelee, Franklin, Bostyn and Gibby.

 Bryan began his officiating career in 1990 at the high school level and started JUCO in 1995. In 1996 Bryan began working in the Lone Star Conference DII till 2002. His D1 career began in 2003 with the Conference USA-Sunbelt and Southland Conferences. In 2006, Bryan moved over to the Mountain West Conference which later merged with the CFO West - MWC, Big 12, WAC, CUSA and Southland Conferences.  After a 18 year D1 on the field career, Bryan transitioned in 2021 to Replay Communicator position with the Conference USA for 3 years and then moved over to the Mountain West Conference 2024.  In 2025, Bryan changed chairs to the Replay Official position.   Bryan has worked multiple post season bowl games and is currently on the Board of Directors with the Armed Forces Bowl.

Bryan started his banking career 43 years ago and is currently the VP & Director of Commercial Lending for EECU in Fort Worth Texas.

Rod McLain is a seasoned referee and replay communicator with an officiating career spanning 38 years. Based in Denton, TX, Rod has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and a strong training background in officiating as well as his professional career.

Rod's journey in officiating began in 1988 with the Texas Association of Sports Officials (TASO), where he has held various leadership roles over the years, including 13 years on the Board of Directors and most recently as President of the Football Division (2023-2024). His dedication to training and educating fellow officials is demonstrated in his travels across the state as a TASO Clinician and his current position as TASO Mechanics Chairman. 

Rod’s collegiate career began as a Replay Technician in the Replay Operations Center for the Big XII Conference (2017-2022).In 2023 Rod joined the Mountain West Conference as a Replay Communicator, where he is currently working his third season. Game highlights include the Mountain West Championship (2023) and bowl games each season, the Myrtle Beach Bowl (2023) and the Salute To Veterans Bowl (2024).

Rod and his wife Lori (a World Food Champion Chef) live in Denton, TX and recently celebrated their 38th wedding anniversary. Rod is an Advertising/Marketing Specialist assisting local businesses in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.