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[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by HossHumard

Offense gets 20 seconds from the WH's whistle to put the ball into play or they get whacked with a "time count violation". 5 yard penalty down repeated except in the last three minutes of 2nd and 4th quarter.

If time count occurs then, it's a loss of down on 1st and 2nd down, or a 10 yard penalty if it's third down.

It's all part of the effort to keep players from freezing to death....20 seconds keeps everybody moving, eh?

But it's not exactly comparable to the 25 seconds they get in Fed or NCAA. Your 20 secs. don't start until the wing officials "close the gates" against substitution, while in the USA the ball may be readied for play irrespective of substitutions.

I'd like to point out that well into the 1980s (maybe the 1990s) the time count penalty applied only to scrimmage plays in CFL & CAFA. Kickoffs were governed only by general (And for a long time unwritten!) rules against delay of game.

And would you believe that at one time in USAn rules the only fouls specifying a length of time as "delay of game" was a limit of 15 secs. for a huddle and forfeiting for failing to play within 2 mins. after a warning?

Robert