This came up the other night at our association meeting (NFHS).

Team A calls time-out. Both teams go to their respective sidelines for an authorized conference. At end of time-out, Team A comes out and lines up, ready to run a play. Team B continues their conference on sideline with their coach.

Question that came up: Do you as referee mark ball ready for play and allow Team A to run an "uncontested" play? Or do you assess Team B with a penalty?

I'm not going to put us in that poistion.

"15 seconds to the ready!"

If they don't return, I'll give a more stern warning.

"Coach, when they whistle blows, they will run the play!"

They'll come.

We have discussed this situation on several occasions and concluded that, after expending reasonable effort to communicate to the coach that the time-out is over, the referee should penalize the defense for delay of game (3-6-2.f.). You should not mark the ball ready for play and let the offense run a play with no defense on the field.

If you're wings are doing their job, they will inform the B team that the time out is over, how many time outs are left and that the R is ready to blow the ball ready for play. Coach, get your team on the field.

If they can't figure out that the A team in on the field ready to go, I believe it's an unfair advantage in B's favor if you call a delay of game penalty on them. A is playing by the rules and is ready at the end of the timeout. Why deprive them of an opportunity which is essentially created by B?

Bottom line: wings, never, ever, ever let this happen!

I can't imagine ever letting A run a play in a situation like this. I've seen a TO charged to B in a situation like this. But 99.99% of the time, the words, "Coach we're about to run the play - you might want your defense on the field," will get the players onto the field in a hurry.

To JMN's comment, it seems WAY out of the bounds of fairness to simply allow A to run the play - essentially awarding A a touchdown simply due to a delay on B.

REPLY: My opinion. If Team B insists on remaining at the sideline after being explicitly told to get back to the field, I would penalize as delay. (See NF 3-6-2f and 3-6-4.) Don't EVER blow the ball ready when only Team A is on the field. You may think you're proving a point, but in essence, I think you would be making a travesty of the game.

Yell at B to get ready to play. Hit B with a delay. Anything, just don't let A snap the ball without B at least out there to try to defend the play.

I guess I'm just the jerk of the bunch, but if they don't respond to verbal warnings, whistles, and a few more seconds, then I'm putting the ball ready for play... I guarantee you that this will only have to happen once, and that team will be ready 10 seconds before any timeout ends...

I actually remember seeing this happen to our freshman team when I was playing JV... The other team wasn't ready, so our team ran the play... The call was option left, so that's what the QB ran...right into the team's sideline huddle... We only got 15 yards on what should've been a gimmie TD...

This is simply a delay of game for NCAA. 3-4-2-B-3. A full timeout is 90 secs. At 60 secs the teams are given a warning that the timout is almost finished. 5 secs later the ready for play will be given. If the defense is not ready after the 5 secs. they will be given a delay of game. If the offense isn't ready the ball will be made ready for play and if time expires then they will have a delay foul.

This is not like basketball where you put the ball on the floor at the throw-in spotn and start counting. If B team is not on the field, don't signal ready for play. At the end of the minute, and there is no movement onto the field, you can penalize for delay without ever signaling the ball ready for play. If it is A team who is slow, you can signal the ready for play and penalize when the 25 seconds have expired.

just a dumb response
 

I agree with the delay call, but just something to think about, why should A get the extra 25 secs., (I know its always 25 secs to snap the ball after the RFP) but you pen. B right then and now, and blow the whistle for A and give them 25 secs. coach might have something to say about that, But I guess thats just the advantages of having the ball..

Just trying to get away from signaling the ball ready for play when B is not on the field. A play run with no defense on the field would be a travesty.

Thanks everybody for the responses. WOW....I thought our association was the only ones split on this issue. Actually, I believe the NFHS rule book covers this in Rule 3, Section 6, Article 2f: Action or inaction which prevents promptness in putting the ball in play is delay of game. This includes:
f. Any other conduct which unduly prolongs the game.

Of course, as a wing man, I would surely try my best to let Team B know they need to come out to the field or it will cost them at least 5 yards. Very grateful that I haven't had any team ignore me on this warning.