Keeping Time

mvp2jeter · #1 (**permalink**) Fri Oct 10, 2003, 07:16pm

Last week we had an injury timeout by A in a 5th grade game, playing by NFHS. The (Team A) kid shakes it off and the coach wants to talk to his team, so he takes a TO. I allowed the previously injured player to remain in the game for the following reasons:

1) I believed it was within the rules;
2) Team A only had 11 players;
3) Team A was getting the crud kicked out of them;
4) It's 5th grade football.

I feel real comfortable with my decision in reasons #2-4, but was I correct with #1?

Thanks.
Eric

Snake~eyes · #2 (**permalink**) Fri Oct 10, 2003, 07:33pm

I would have done the same thing especially considering that they only had 11 players and they were losing badly.

Segment from 3-5-10a
The player shall be replaced for atleast one down, unless the halftime or an overtime intermission occurs.

I don't see anything that says a timeout would allow a player to return, but I would have done the same thing even with that rule.

keystoneref · #3 (**permalink**) Fri Oct 10, 2003, 11:23pm

The technical answer to your question is no you cannot let him remain in the game. If the clock is stopped for an injury the player must be replaced for at least 1 down. You cannot buy his way back in the game by using a timeout. The only exception to this is an injury on the last play of the second quarter, the player may return to begin the second half or an injury on the last play of the 4th quarter that is going to overtime, the player may begin the overtime period without sitting for a down. Now in a 5th grade game with only 11 players, if I was sure he wasn't hurt, I would have let them do it.

BktBallRef · #4 (**permalink**) Fri Oct 10, 2003, 11:47pm

Quote:

Originally posted by keystoneref
The technical answer to your question is no you cannot let him remain in the game. If the clock is stopped for an injury the player must be replaced for at least 1 down. You cannot buy his way back in the game by using a timeout. The only exception to this is an injury on the last play of the second quarter, the player may return to begin the second half or an injury on the last play of the 4th quarter that is going to overtime, the player may begin the overtime period without sitting for a down. Now in a 5th grade game with only 11 players, if I was sure he wasn't hurt, I would have let them do it.

I agree. The coach can't burn a timeout to keep the injured player in the game.

Theisey · #5 (**permalink**) Sat Oct 11, 2003, 09:40am

You exposed yourself to a potential law suit by allowing an injured player to remain in the game after stopping the clock for an injury TO for him.
You can't let yourself be influenced by the score, the level or ages of the players nor how many they might have on the team. Judging the severity of an injury is not for us (officials) to paricipate in.

Letting him stay in the game is prohibited by NF rules.

[Edited by Theisey on Oct 11th, 2003 at 11:43 AM]

otis3zeb · #6 (**permalink**) Sat Oct 11, 2003, 05:08pm

I agree with all the responces, here's the bad thing, you are a saint by the people if he remains unhurt, but the same people that would applaud you would turn around and accuse you for him being in the game if he got hurt... Sometimes its best to just go by the rules... Have to protect yourselves, because no-one else will....