25-second Count with 4-man

[Simbio]

In a 5 man, I've seen some BJ's that say "10 seconds" out loud or "Hustle" which the Umpire then relays to the offense, either by repeating "hustle" or saying "10 seconds" then at 5, the BJ yells out "5" and begins the countdown over his head. I don't think you necessarily need the umpire to say anything, I think the BJ should just start the count at 5. The team should be up to the line by then anyway and ready to put the ball in play. Some will say that is helping coach out on the field, and they may be right, but its also preventive officiating and helps to keep the game moving.

In a 4 man, the ref basically says the same thing. At 5 he shouts out five and then begins the silent countdown above his head.

Whatever you decide to do, just make sure its consistent the whole game. As some have already stated, I don't like throwing flags if it can be prevented. If you're doing it for both teams, they have the same advantage. I guess it'd depend on your state associations or preference. Of course, it'd be nice if each school could afford a 25 second clock, but since that's unlikely, the officials are it....