Can a judge direct a verdict of guilt?

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In criminal trials, the judge can direct a verdict only in the sense of ruling on whether the evidence so clearly proves guilt that no reasonable jury could convict, which is the directed verdict of acquittal in a jury trial. A judge can grant that acquittal when the prosecution hasn’t met the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. A guilty verdict, however, is not something a judge directs in a jury trial because the jury, not the judge, is the finder of fact and must decide guilt. In a bench trial, where the judge acts as the trier of fact, the judge may convict if the evidence proves guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. So, the correct understanding is that a judge cannot direct a verdict of guilt, but may direct acquittal.