Informing Captains on Penalties

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by Ed Hickland

A team always has a choice. My routine is to walk off these fouls when it is obvious but think before you do the walk-off if there are other factors.

For instance, had this situation. Five seconds on the clock when Team A false starts. Now acceptance of the penalty means Team A will get one more play regardless. Decline the penalty and Team A has to snap within five seconds. I explained it to the captain because of the impact of the penalty. Any other time, its five yards and start the clock.

A false start is a dead ball foul. The provision to extend the period for an untimed down applies only to fouls that occur during the last timed down. In your scenario the false start did not occur during the down. If the clock was stopped because of the penalty it will start on the ready for play. If A can not snap the ball before time expires the period is over.

NF 3-3-3 A period must be extended by an untimed down if during the last timed down of the period, one of the following occured:

a. There was a foul by either team and the penalty is accepted, except for unsportmanlike fouls, non-player fouls and fouls that specify a loss of down.
b. There was a double foul.
c. There was an inadvertant whistle.
d. If a touchdown was scored, the try is attempted unless the touchdown is scored during the last down of the fourth period and the point(s) would not affect the outcome of the game of playoff qualifying.