Need help with a Fed rules interpretation? ( Ending a period…3.3.3 – 3.3.4 ) My crew has been hashing and rehashing the situation where you have a penalty with just a few seconds left in a quarter. Here is a play:

A has ball 2nd & 12 at B’s 30 as the clock is running at :12 seconds left in the half. B encroaches with :03 seconds left. We mark off five to B’s 25 and now have 2nd and 7 with :03 seconds in the half. At any other time during the game we wind the clock at the ready. Now if A isn’t ready to snap it, time is going to run out. Does an untimed down apply here? Does the burden rest on A to get the snap off?

Fed Rule
 

No untimed down by rule.
The R may hold winding until the snap if in his opinion the foul was down to illegally consume time.
If the R winds on the ready, A has 3 seconds to get a play off.

Rule 3-3-3a requires that there be a foul during the down (kick or snap to dead ball 2-7-1)

All dead ball fouls therefore do not create a situation where a period will be extended. The R does have the power to delay winding until the snap if he believe's B was intentionally trying to consume time and I have used this on more than one occasion under the circumstances you listed. However, when A false starts with 3 seconds to go, nothing is going to allow you to wait until the snap to wind.

Those are my thoughts exactly. Another vet official suggested that it would have to be untimed. I understand that if the D is attempting to commit fouls to gain an advantage with the clock, we have the ability to take the corrective action and have an untimed down if necessary. However, it would have to be very obvious before I'd open that can of worms. A must realize that they have to get the snap off. I'm telling the QB that we are winding the clock at the snap and leave it up to them how they manage the clock.

No untimed down. It's easier than that. If B encroaches with :03 left I'm going with 3.6.3 and starting the clock on the snap. That's 9 seconds after the RFP (if I understand correctly) and the snap was probably imminent. This is a no brainer.