SPOKANE, Wash. — Just weeks before the college football season kicks off, Big Sky Conference officials gathered recently at the Northern Quest Resort & Casino to sharpen their skills from technique and communication to rule changes.
Gregg Wilson, a Billings native and crew chief as a referee — known to football fans as a "white hat" — is entering his 24th season. Wilson lightheartedly admitted to MTN Sports that rehearsing calls in a room full of peers during the Spokane training is more intimidating than delivering calls in front of tens of thousands of fans in the stands and on television.
"No doubt about it, yeah, definitely," Wilson said with a laugh. "It just seems to come a little more naturally on the field."
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Will Robbins, also a Billings native, is entering his 14th year as a league official. As an umpire, Robbins appreciates working a position that differs from most conferences across the country.
"We work in the offensive backfield now as an umpire. We're one of the few conferences in the country that do that. So, I feel like that's extended my career," Robbins said.
This season, two young Billings officials — Garrett Prokop and Eric Carlson — received the coveted call elevating them to the Big Sky Conference, running the total number of Billings officials in the league to four.
"Just an amazing experience. Never thought it would happen," Prokop said. "But to have that phone call to say that 'we want you here in the Big Sky' … was an awesome feeling."
"You know, it was unbelievable. Never thought in a million years this would ever happen," Carlson agreed.
Prokop and Carlson will serve as "swing officials," continuing to work their Frontier Conference games while remaining on standby should a Big Sky official get hurt, get sick or need a week off. Both new officials said they expect the jump to challenge them in new ways.
"Speed of the game is probably the biggest part," Carlson said.
"How to watch film, how to process fouls, how to know why you're doing things," Prokop said.
Robbins said he welcomes the additions — especially given their shared hometown.
"I am so pleased that we finally got a couple more people in. And coming from Billings, where I'm from, it's even better yet," he said.
As the younger officials wait for current referees to either move up or retire, Wilson's own timeline remains a mystery — even at home.
"My wife doesn't even know. No, she's the only one (who does know)," Wilson said with another laugh.
