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Mike,
Back to the point of how to officiate a potential "I'm going to take a knee" play.
If declared by the offense (and I will ask them if it's that type of situation), then I will inform my U that A MAY take a knee on this play. My U will let the defense know on the break of the huddle that A MAY take a knee and if he does, lay off.
When A comes to the line, the U stays over the ball until I remind both A & B that IF A takes a knee you'd better lay off or risk a foul. But I also say that if A doesn't take a knee, then we're playing football, and protect yourself.
This approach does 2 things. 1) it ensures some level of safety for the players (especially the QB), and 2) it leaves room for the possibility that A may not take a knee. Mike, like you, I've been burned by the team that told me they were going to take a knee and then didn't. And although you can flag it, I prefer to leave a gap in the door for the defense to assume that A may not take a knee and be prepared. Then, I don't have anything to "clean up" should A change their mind.
I've had games where A tells me that they're taking a knee and then don't. Believe me, on the way to the next huddle that QB gets an earful and he loses the additional protection that I intended to provide.
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