When to Start the Clock?

[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.

[JasonTX]

This must be a huge difference between NF and NCAA. Under NCAA this is a 15 yard penalty from the spot of the foul. Team B (R) keeps the ball and the clock will start on the snap.

[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.

[Ed Hickland]

Originally posted by JasonTX
This must be a huge difference between NF and NCAA. Under NCAA this is a 15 yard penalty from the spot of the foul. Team B (R) keeps the ball and the clock will start on the snap.

Yeah, real big difference. NFHS considers this part of a loose ball play and in order for the kickers to be penalized the ball must be returned to the previous spot or the receivers can accept a fair catch at the spot.

[Jim S]

The clock does indeed start on the RFP. There is no reason under NF rules to do otherwise.

[devdog69]

don't have my books here, but that seems confusing to me, I would think since it was a punt on the last play that it would start on the snap...

[mcrowder]

devdog - there is no rule I'm aware of that says the clock starts on the snap after a punt.

The relevant rule says to start it on the snap after AWARDING A NEW SERIES to B... which didn't happen here. Fed - start on ready. NCAA - not an issue - R's ball, start on snap.

[CBrockett]

McCrowder

Why did you dtop the clock then.... I do in fact think the clock was stopped to award B a new series... I cna think of no othere reason why we would stop the clock... therefore the clock shall start on the snap!

[Bob M.]

Originally posted by CBrockett
McCrowder

Why did you dtop the clock then.... I do in fact think the clock was stopped to award B a new series... I cna think of no othere reason why we would stop the clock... therefore the clock shall start on the snap!

REPLY: The NCAA rule is different than that of the Federation. For Federation, you start the clock on the snap when you award B a new series--not because you stopped the clock to apparently award B a new series. Unless you ultimately reset the chains and give B a first down (after all penalties are accounted for) you have not awarded B a new series.

[l3will]

Here we go again... We stopped the clock for an official's timeout to administer the penalty. We did not award R a new series, so we didn't stop the clock for that. We didn't award K a new series either.

So by federation rules, we should start the clock on the RFP.

Rule 3-4-3c says that the clock shall start on the snap.....if the clock was stopped because:

c. Either team is awarded a new series following a legal kick.

If the penalty had not been enforced or R would have taken an awarded fair catch instead of the distance penalty, then R would have the ball 1st and 10; then the clock would start on the snap.

[mcrowder]

CBrockett - do you not stop the clock in FED to administer the penalty? That seems confusing, and likely wrong.

Seems to me you stop the clock due to the penalty, walk it off, and then start the clock. Seems rather straightforward to me, and I'm puzzled at the confusion of doing anything differently.

[parepat]

Does anyone feel differently if the clock had been stopped as a result of an incomplete pass on third down prior to the punt?

[Theisey]

No, the previous play has nothing to do with this as this foul occurred during the live ball period after the snap.

[MJT]

Originally posted by parepat
Does anyone feel differently if the clock had been stopped as a result of an incomplete pass on third down prior to the punt?

The only time you look at the last play is if you had a DB foul, such as a FS.

[Bob M.]

Originally posted by parepat
Does anyone feel differently if the clock had been stopped as a result of an incomplete pass on third down prior to the punt?

REPLY: Not at all. That play is immaterial to deciding when to start the clock. After all, when you replay a down because of a penalty, do you put the time that the replayed down took back on the clock?