[Jim S]

Let me take some time to try to explain to those who are having some problem with this timing situation.
The first thing is that the timing rules are an integrated set of rules. Each one does not necessarily stand by itself.
To illustrate this let's take the following.
1. 4th & 6 at the K 43.
K kicks a scrimage kick to the B 20 where:
a. The ball becomes dead on the ground untouched by any player.
b. The ball is caught by B1 and run to the 25 where he runs OB.
c. The ball is caught by B1 who runs to the 25 and is tackled.
d. The ball is caught by B1 and run to the 25 where he fumbles the ball and the ball is recovered by A1 who is tackled immediately.

2. Same play but there is a 5 yard non-PSK foul on B.
Same situations a-d.

3. Same play but there is a 15 yard non-PSK foul on B.
Same situations a-d.

The first question to ask is why did we stop the clock?
In a, b, & c the clock is stopped because there was a change of team possession during the down. (3.5.7c)This is an OFICIAL'S TIME-OUT.
In b the clock is stopped first because the runner took the ball OB.(3.4.3a) This is action that ends the down ND stops the clock.
Now when do we start the clock after an official's T.O.? On the RFP. EXCEPT WHEN B IS AWARDED A NEW SERIES, OR EITHER TEAM IS AWARDED A NEW SERIES FOLLOWING A LEGAL KICK. In a,c,& d we award one of the teams a new series after a legal kick. Therefore we will start the clock on the snap.

Now let's take play 2 where we have the 5 yard penalty.
We still stop the clock in b because the ball went OB. But, in a, c, & d. the clock is stopped because the down ended after a foul. (3.4.4a) [This is also an official's T.O. 3.5.7j]. Note that the clock stoppage rules only talk about why & when the clock shall stop, not about when it will start again.
In a,b,&c K may take the penalty which would give them a 4th & 1 from the K 48. In d. they will undoubtably take the result of the play which will give them a 1st & 10 from the B25.
Whem will we start the clock for these situations?
In a & c we have no situations for which the clock was stopped that require the clock to be started on the snap. (ie: neither team was awarded was awarded a new series, the action that ended the down did not stop the clock, etc.) [Let's take a second to reiterate that a change of possession is NOT action that causes the clcok to stop!!! If it was all plays would become dead the instant that there was a change of possession and we know that this isn't so]
Therefore in a & c we will start on the RFP.
For b. The ball went OB causing the clock to stop before the official's T.O. to administer the foul, so by rule (3.4.3a) the clock starts on the snap. Note that this is also "action that cause the ball to become dead and also causes the clock to stop. Other such action is the ball becoming dead behind a goal line, a legal (or illegal) forward pass being incomplete)
In d. K will again take the result of the play, be awarded a new series and the clcok will start with the snap.

Now for the 15 yard penalty. In all the situations listed the clock will start on the snap. WHY? Because no matter what choices are made either K or R will be awarded a new series after a legal kick. (Or actually in the case of b. because the ball went OB. This still happened first)

The point of all this is so that you recognize that we stop the clcok for a variety of reasons. Some of them are official's T.O.s and cause the clock to start on the RFP (unless there are other rules that THEN kick in). Some of them, such as going OB, are reasons that stop the clock on their own BEFORE any other reasons. These will always cause the clock to stay stopped until the snap.

You must first determine why the clcok is stopped.(3.4.4 or 3.5.7)
Then determine if one of the reasons to keep it stopped (3.4.2 a1,2,3 or 3.4.3) applies.
If they don't you will start on the RFP.

[Edited by Jim S on Sep 26th, 2005 at 05:54 PM]