Sub

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally posted by Red Neck Ref
If A1 has blood on his uniform and you have that player go out of the game and team A requests a time out do you have to get a replacement for A1 before you grant the time out?

This is a very good question, with regard to last year's rule change regarding timeouts to keep players in the game because of the injury/blood rule. No where in the rule does it say that the coach must specifically state when requesting a timeout that it is for the purpose of keeping the player in the game.

The rule also does not address a team requesting successive timeouts if the player is not ready to play at the conclusion of the first timeout. The rule just refers to the end of "the" timeout. NFHS Casebook Play 3.3.6 Situation C only states that A1 must be ready at the end of the timeout. It does not say what happens if A1 is not ready to play. It is my understanding from rules interpretation meetings and articles I have read is that if the play involved is not ready to play by the end of the timeout (meaning the 30 sec (not 20 sec) or 60 sec (not 45 sec)) then his team can replace him, but I have do not know if the team then gets 30 sec to replace him or the substitute must report immediately.

Now that I have danced around your question for two paragraphs, I would recommend that you treat Team A's request for a timeout as a timeout to keep A1 in the game. I say this is because the NFHS and NCAA are both on record as saying that this rule is to keep players in the game not keep them out of the game.

MTD, Sr.