Play of the week
 

A team has the ball first and goal with 1:50 on the clock to go in the game. The coach tells you that he is going to take a knee and run the clock out. The other team is out of time outs. After the ref tells the players the QB is going to take a knee, he fakes to the FB and runs a sweep to score a TD. How would you handel this?

REPLY: First thing I would do is kill the official who acknowledged the offense's coach and might have said anything to the defense that intimated that they should 'let up' in any way. The half/game goes till the clock reads 0:00 and each team has a right to play as they see fit and an obligation protect themselves. When this time of the game arrives, the officials must close on the dead ball spot quickly when the ball becomes dead and flag any contact that comes after the ball becomes dead. Likewise, be extremely diligent about extraneous live ball action.

I agree with BobM. There is nothing in the rules that requires a team to stick with their play call even after telling the officials. There is no reason to advise the defense of anything. They have every right to play hard until the ball becomes dead. They already know that they can't hit a player once the ball becomes dead. If there are late hits then flag them as normal. If the QB wants to truly take a knee without fear of being hit then he should go ahead and be on his knee and then take the snap.

ooops sorry
 

oops sorry bout the late flag, but I had a 25 second clock violation (DOG), I know I know I am the R, but hey I heard the back judges buzzer go off...seriously though, the most I would say is, if he takes a knee don't be stupid...and if he so much as stumbles coming back, and he told me he was taking a knee, I will assume he is taking a knee and do the appropriate mechanics consistent with killing the play.....

If the QB or coach told the officials, then I would not say anything to the defense but I would be ready with a quick whistle if the QB dipped after the snap.

If the QB loudly announced to the officials (so the defense could hear) before the snap that he was going to take a knee and then failed to do so, I would blow it dead and penalize for USC for the deception under rule 9-9.

Suppose they line up and announce that they are going to run a draw play to the running back but instead throw a deep pass for a TD?

I would think you should seek the guidance of your association on how they want it handled. What the group here thinks is of little consequence.
It appears they "may" be in favor of announcing such intentions to prevent line play that can only generate ill will and possible injury, at least by the actions of your ref. If that is the case, then I'm sure they also have some idea about what they want you to do if the offense pulls off some BS like this as well.

Canadian Ruling
 

CANADIAN RULING:

No touchdown can be scored. Apply penalty from PLS.

What's the point in Team A of even having to snap the ball then? Anything can happen on the last play of the game even on a kneel down. I had a game once where Team A was winning with time running out. Team B was out of timeouts. Team A snapped, B rushed and the QB took a knee. The next play we knee Team A would be taking a knee. The ball was snapped but the QB muffed the ball. Luckily for Team B they weren't playing lightly and they ended up recovering the ball. Imagine if we would have even hinted for Team B to quit playing. Play hard till the clock hits zero no matter what team A says they are going to do. We have to be good enough as officials to be able to react to any nonsense that takes place when and if team A does take a knee.

If a coach announces he's taking a knee at the end of the game---he GETS a knee if its a clean snap in my game. Had it happen when the head coach announced it and the defense heard him but the O coord. got his wires crossed and called a pitch out from the victory formation.

Our association (Berlin/Brandenburg in Germany) tells everyone very loudly, and we would blow it dead. There are too many problems here in the men's leagues with unsportsmanlike conduct and fights and stuff.
It happened too often here that someone dove on a knee or did something like that at the snap.
I would like to see something in the rulebook about not having to snap when within the possibility of running all the time off.

James

Just remember that the defense isn't the one "giving up". They have every right within the rules to play tough until the clock reads 0:00 and the ball is dead. Telling them to let up or to play soft is taking away their opportunity to get the ball in the event there is a muffed snap. Team A just needs to do what they've been doing all game and that is protecting the QB. In NCAA, if the QB simulates taking a knee (starts down but goes back up) by rule the ball is dead.

I that case, I'd be fine with it since they weren't pretending that they aren't running a play.

Our crew doesn't say anything to the defense. We tell the offense to make sure they block, protect themselves, and protect the quarterback because we aren't telling the defense. This has worked for us.

I'm with those who say that we can't expect the defense to simply let up so we tell the offense not to let up.

In NCAA rules, the ball would be dead before the QB could fake to the FB. (Or does the captain have to make the declaration of "taking a knee"?)

Maybe someone can tell us if Fed has "take a knee" in its rule book yet.

Robert