When to Start the Clock?

[Ed Hickland]

Originally posted by Ed Hickland
Fourth and 15 from K's 26. K34 commits kick catching interference at R's 40 but R45 still gains possession of the ball at R's 40 and runs to R's 45 where he is tackled.

R accepts the penalty making it 4th and 28 for K at their 13.

When does the clock start?

If possible, please cite a rule reference.

from Warrenkicker
Under NF this is a loose-ball play and thus may be enforced from the previous spot. The other choice for enforcement is R taking the ball at the spot of the foul. Obviously if the penalty is declined it is R's ball at the R 45.

3-4-2a and 3-4-2b3 say that you should start the clock on the RFP.

This was interesting. Warrenkicker and just about everyone got the penalty options correct. The clock was another story and the reason for that is the confusing wording in the Rule Book.

Rule 3-4-2a "The clock shall start with the ready-for-play signal for other than a free kick if the clock was stopped: (a) For an official's time-out, other than when B is awarded a new series of either team is awarded a new series following a legal kick." That would be applied if the kick catching interference had not occurred.

Or, 3-4-2(b)(3) The action which caused the down to end did not also cause the clock to be stopped. That applies because the clock stopped following a legal kick of which R would be awarded a new series, that is, until the penalty is applied.

The Rule Book wording is vague in as much as the complement is used to tell you when to start the clock in the aforementioned situation "action that caused the down to end did not also cause clock to stop."

The clock stopped because there was a change of possession and a new series would be started. Then there was a penalty. So, clock starts on the snap.

For the naysayers what happens to the clock on this play. A's ball 1st and 10 at B's 25. A37 runs for a touchdown but A74 holds at B's 20. A's ball 1st and 15 after the penalty and the clock starts on the snap because the action that ended the down stopped the clock not the penalty.

But if A37 ran to A's 5 the action that ended the down did not stop the clock it was reaching the line to gain that caused the clock to stop for resetting the stakes. Clock would start on the ready.