R's Discretion on Clock

[mcrowder]

Last night, I got a mild butt-chewing from an official with a lot of experience that I respect a lot. 99% of the time, when this guy tells me something, I log it, and try to do what he said going forward. But this time, doubts linger.

Let me say beforehand that the rules support what I did, but also what he said I should do... so this shouldn't be a RULE discussion... more of a IMPLEMENTATION discussion, and comments from the more experienced of the group will be appreciated. The core of his commentary was "Do that on Friday night and you won't work much on Fridays."

Sitch - Visitor 14, Home 6, Visitor's ball, 2nd and 7, 2:50 on the clock. Visitor's coach is doing a solid job yelling "NOW" to the QB to have him snap it at 23-24 seconds, using as much clock as possible. On this particular play, clock hits 2:27, coach yells "NOW", and the tackle moves before the snap. We walk off 5.

The point of contention. I did not start the clock at RFP - I started it at the snap. I do not believe the foul was intentional, but I do believe the offense gained a significant clock advantage even without the intent. My umpire (with equal experience to me) agreed with me, but BJ (more experience than the rest of us put together, and a white-hat on Fridays) disagreed with me, as did the visiting coach (loudly). We discussed at a timeout about 30 seconds later, at which point he told me that he would not have started it at the snap unless the offense had done it 3-4 times, or he believe the foul was intentional.

I'd like to hear what the peanut gallery has to add or suggest - what is common practice in your games, especially at a varsity level?

[JDLJ]

The offense is obviously trying to eat up as much time as possible. By committing a foul, had you started the clock on the RFP, that transgression would have helped them burn even more time. I believe you were correct in the technical aspects of the rule, the spirit of the rule and in football sense, to start the clock on the snap. Good job!

[TXMike]

Maybe if more of us start handling situations like this in the way you did we can get the rulemakers to write it into the book. I like the NFL timing rules which recognize the last 2 minuts of 1st half and the last 5 minutes of the game as special times.

[kd0254]

I Agree with what you did and would have done the same thing. I WH on Fridays and if there is not much time in the game no way am I letting the offense use 25 seconds and then get a full 25 more to eat the clock, I really don't think that is the intent of the rules. . . . Also, Intentional or not, that can be pretty tough to judge some times. It sure wouldn't take much for a coach to tell a tackle to jump as soon as you hear me yell. If he takes the play clock all the way down to 0 and has a Dead Ball penalty late in the game I am starting on the snap.

[nvfoa15]

I'm going to agree with your BJ on this. You say that the visiting coach was "doing a solid job yelling "NOW" to the QB to have him snap it at 23-24 seconds,..." implies that this was not the first time this tactic was used. It is perfectly legal to consume time in this way. It seems to me that the tackle moved in anticipation of the snap (coach yells "NOW!") - just false started. I'm starting the clock on the RFP. If this happens a second time then I will start it on the snap.

[Bob M.]

REPLY: Since it was obvious ("NOW!") that the coach's focus was on consuming time, his player's foul put his team into a position where the foul would have allowed him to consume more time. I'm with you on this one. Start it on the snap. If he's got an axe to grind, it's with his tackle who couldn't keep his butt down and wait for the snap. The fact that he complained should give you a hint. Your action (starting on the snap) didn't cost him a thing. You didn't put any extra time on the clock. And he was ready to go at that instant anyway. The fact that he complained leads me to believe that his "NOW" signal on that particular play was aimed more at his tackle than at the QB...if you know what I mean.

NF 3-6-3 says nothing about needing to know that the foul was intentional. NCAA rule goes one better using as a criteria a consideration of who is ahead in the score.

[BayouUmp]

It doesn't exist now, but I'd suggest a rule change where the clock starts on the RFP if the penalty is accepted, otherwise it starts at the SNAP. That way the offended coach can choose, do I want the yardage or the time.

[MJT]

I agree with you on starting it on the snap. I cannot beleive he said 3-4 times, IF ANYTHING if he does in a second time, not even consecutively it would be on the snap. I think you did the right thing.