5 second count

[crosscountry55]

Originally Posted by Freddy

This begs two questions:
1. May an official call a 5 second closely guarded violation based on "five seconds in his head", not having given the mandatory visual count?
2. Would any official want to?

Great questions.

You won't find the answers in the rule book, but not giving a visual count is a failure to use proper mechanics, and this mechanic is important because coaches are looking for it to advise their players. For example, often when I start a visual count I'll hear something like "You've got a count, Jimmy." So if you didn't have a visual count and called a violation (3 seconds notwithstanding), you're on your own when the commissioner calls you.

That said, the number in my head and the number of arm strokes I've issued are not always exactly the same, and that's ok because I'm the only one who knows. Deciding on when to start and stop that count are matters of good game management. Sometimes I'll start a count 1-2 seconds in when I expected a player to drive or make a swing pass but they unexpectedly don't. Other times I'll count to six just to make sure I didn't count too fast. In any case, I always give the benefit of the doubt to the offense if it's close.