noise

[markwin]

Last week during the playoffs everytime my QB went to call out the signals from the shotgun formation, the visiting team would sound a boating air horn.
It was extremely annoying and disruptive to my signals.
Is this legal?
We are playing in the championship this weekend and wanted to know the answer.
I know natrural made noises are fine but, wanted to clarify this.
Thanks.
Please cite the exact rule if you know it.

HSF rules

Thanks!

[Jim S]

So, you're saying that the team had someone in the team box or near the field that would do this? Coach, player, or someone else?

[MJT]

Originally posted by markwin
Last week during the playoffs everytime my QB went to call out the signals from the shotgun formation, the visiting team would sound a boating air horn.
It was extremely annoying and disruptive to my signals.
Is this legal?
We are playing in the championship this weekend and wanted to know the answer.
I know natrural made noises are fine but, wanted to clarify this.
Thanks.
Please cite the exact rule if you know it.

HSF rules

Thanks!

If it is someone in the team box area, you have some grounds for a foul under "unfair acts" rule 9-3 since there is nothing specific in the rules about this. If I was the R and this was happening in the team box, I would tell the coach, "one more time, and we will have a 15 penalty." If it is in the stands, unless your state has a rule on artificial noise makers, which some do, I doubt you have any grounds. You could tell the coach, it is his teams fans, and they need to take care of stopping it or it will be 15 yards, but I don't know if you would be backed if it came down to a penalty.

[Snake~eyes]

If its the fans you really don't have any jurisdiction, unless like MJT pointed out you hav ea rule against artifical noisemakers. I would just tell the coach he has to talk to game management about that issue.

[jjb]

I don't have my rules book available... Earlier this year I made a defensive coach stop using a small electronic bullhorn ( about the size of his hand ) . He was using it to call in defense formations. He told me he always used it in the past. I told him it was against the rules, put it away or take 15. After the game we discussed my ruling. I check the rules book and there was specific reference supporting my call. If it is in the stands I would get word to game management to help out. If it is coming from the fans I think we should treat this as we would if a fan was blowing a whistle.

[JasonTX]

Here is the procedure that NCAA uses just for those that are curious as to how we handle it.

(a) When the signal caller believes he is unable to communicate signals to teammates because of crowd noise, he may raise his hands and look to the referee to request a legal delay.
(b) The referee may deny the request by pointing toward the defensive team’s goal line or may charge himself with a timeout and the offensive team may huddle.
(c) When the offensive team returns to the line of scrimmage, the game clock will start on the snap. The referee shall declare the ball ready for play by sounding his whistle with no hand signal. The 25-second clock is not in operation (Rule 3-4-2-b-3).
(d) Should the signal caller then, or later in the game, request a second legal delay by raising his hands and looking to the referee, the referee will charge himself with a timeout again if, in his opinion, the crowd noise makes it impossible to hear offensive signals.
(e) The referee then will request the defensive captain to ask the crowd for quiet. This signals the public-address announcer to request cooperation and courtesy to the offensive team. The announcer will state that the defensive team will be charged a timeout, or be penalized five yards if timeouts are exhausted, for the next crowd-noise infraction.
(f) When the offensive team returns to the line of scrimmage, the game clock will start on the snap. The referee shall declare the ball ready for play by sounding his whistle with no hand signal. The 25-second clock is not in operation (Rule 3-4-2-b-3).
(g) If the signal caller again during the game indicates by raising his hands and looking to the referee to request a legal crowd-noise delay and the referee agrees, a team timeout will be charged to the defensive team. If the defensive team has exhausted its allotment of timeouts, a five-yard penalty is assessed.
(h) After this timeout or the penalty, the defensive team will be penalized five yards for each unsuccessful attempt to start a play. VIOLATION—Rules 3-3-6 and 3-4-2-b [S3 or S21].