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Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee
It's dealt with under NFHS rule 5-9-4 very explicitly. You start the clock on the "touch". If you then deem that "touch" a violation, you stop the clock. That's rule 5-8-1(c).
It's not a matter of agreeing or disagreeing with any concept. You work with what you have. What we currently have is those two rules along with the explicit language contained in those rules.
Again, if you do change the rule so that it reads a "legal" touch, how does the timer now know whether that touch is legal or not, and when to start the clock? Whether the touch was "legal" or not can only be decided by the official, not the timer. If the timer waits to see that the official did NOT blow the whistle for a kicking violation, then the timer is going to be late starting the clock.
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OK. If I agree that starting the clock on ANY touch is the rule, and the rule is apparently stated that way, then we start the clock on the touch/kick with a "chop" signal, then blow the whistle and raise an open hand to stop the clock. I'd rather the rule be written to just keep the open hand raised and blow the whistle on the kick, thus no time elapsed.
And I'll say again, the timer should be watching the officials signal and not the ball for when to start the clock. I will even remind them of this in cases like this one. Ever see a clock start early because the timer thought the ball was tipped on throw in? or on down court throw in with the ball tipped at the line, but the clock didn't start until the home team caught the pass and hit an apparent game winner?