[Jim S]

CB, NOWHERE in the rulebook does it say to stop the clock to award a new series. It does say not to start it IF you award a new series. But that is not why we stop it.
The reasons to stop the clock are listed in 3.4.4 and a couple of others.

The rule you are quoting is 3.4.3b,c. But this rule only tells you when not to start the clock until the snap AFTER you have stopped it for one of the reasons in 3.4.4 (or elsewhere)
The last point is that the rule says don't start until the snap when a new series IS awarded. Not when you you might awarded one if something else hadn't happened. If you don't award a new series, that rule doesn't apply because the situation hasn't been met.
Note also that declaring a first down does not always keep the clock dead. It is always an officia's T.O. per 3.5.7b but only in the two circumstances in 3.4.3 do we keep the clock stopped.

BTW, under which rule do we stop the clock when the ball carrier takes the ball beyond the line-to-gain? And what is the reason given for doing so?

[Edited by Jim S on Sep 27th, 2005 at 11:34 AM]