Change this damn rule!!!!

[MD Longhorn]

I hesitate to agree with Jim ...

But the only reason we've seen this 3 times recently is that it worked the first time. The next two, the kicker made the kick twice.

And this nonsense will continue until the kicker misses the FIRST one, and gets a 2nd chance - making the 2nd one. We only need to wait for that day, and the fad will go away.

[raiderfan]

I don't have my book... NFHS ..I thought the wing or any other official had to make eye contact with the coach before calling the TO. If I'm on a wing and watching the LOS , I am not going to look away . This is especially important when inside the 25.

[jimpiano]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

I hesitate to agree with Jim ...

But the only reason we've seen this 3 times recently is that it worked the first time. The next two, the kicker made the kick twice.

And this nonsense will continue until the kicker misses the FIRST one, and gets a 2nd chance - making the 2nd one. We only need to wait for that day, and the fad will go away.

I want to be at the post game news conference with the losing coach when that happens.

[parepat]

I would change it that when K lines up in scrimmage kick formation, that R can not call time out within the last 5 seconds of the play clock. Thus, if K waits to the last 5 seconds before the kick, they can be assured no timeout. Thus R can still ice the kicker, but not right before the kick.

I agree the rule needs to change. I had a sit last Friday where O had a running play, and the clock was winding down. I heard someone yelling timeout from the sideline, and looked over to see IF it was the HEAD coach. I see him signalling and yelling timeout, at the same time, I've got an assistant coach running a beeline at me yelling "He's calling timeout, he's calling timeout!" I blow my whistle and signal the timeout and then the assistant coach said "Jeez! 9 seconds lost off the clock!"

What did you just say? I walked up to the assistant and said loudly enough for EVERYONE on the sideline to hear "I was looking to make sure your HEAD coach was saying it. You don't need to run up to me and scream in my face. Next time you even do that may be the last time you do it on the sideline tonight!" He shook his head and turned away from me. I had to have a word with the head coach and told him to get his coaching staff under control. He had this look like, wow, you don't take much s**t, do you???

At halftime, my crew was asking me what happened, so I told the same story I just told you all. We decided to have the R, U, and myself (HL) talk with the head coach and reiterate the rule and ask him to tone his assistant down. Had no problems in the second half with any of the coaches on that sideline.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Ref Ump Welsch

I agree the rule needs to change. I had a sit last Friday where O had a running play, and the clock was winding down. I heard someone yelling timeout from the sideline, and looked over to see IF it was the HEAD coach. I see him signalling and yelling timeout, at the same time, I've got an assistant coach running a beeline at me yelling "He's calling timeout, he's calling timeout!" I blow my whistle and signal the timeout and then the assistant coach said "Jeez! 9 seconds lost off the clock!"

What did you just say? I walked up to the assistant and said loudly enough for EVERYONE on the sideline to hear "I was looking to make sure your HEAD coach was saying it. You don't need to run up to me and scream in my face. Next time you even do that may be the last time you do it on the sideline tonight!" He shook his head and turned away from me. I had to have a word with the head coach and told him to get his coaching staff under control. He had this look like, wow, you don't take much s**t, do you???

At halftime, my crew was asking me what happened, so I told the same story I just told you all. We decided to have the R, U, and myself (HL) talk with the head coach and reiterate the rule and ask him to tone his assistant down. Had no problems in the second half with any of the coaches on that sideline.

Just curious why you had this conversation with the assistant coach at all. If any warnings need to be delivered to any assistants - they need to be given to them by the head coach, and you need to be giving the warnings regarding assistants to the head coach. I never engage an irate assistant. I'll talk briefly to polite ones or those that just have questions or information. But irate ones don't get any direct responses.

[Bob M.]

REPLY: Read an artcle in the paper this morning. Interview with John Mara (Giants owner) says that he fully expects to see this last-second timeout issue brought up to the Competition Committee this season for possible rule change.

[Warrenkicker]

I really don't see the issue and I was a kicker. The way I read the rule if the timeout is requested on any play by either team prior to the snap we are to shut it down. Working with the last 5 seconds of the play clock will never work at the high school level as whomever is to stop the clock must take his attention away from the play and first see who is calling the timeout, look at the play clock or the BJ, in states where they want BJ to signal the last 5 seconds, to determine if the call is allowable, then finally check back with the teams on the field to make sure the ball hasn't been snapped all the while hoping that there has not been any false starts or encroachments. And that is if the wing official in front of that sideline isn't under the goal posts.

One thing I saw in the Dallas/Buffalo game was after the timeout they showed a replay of the sideline and the Buffalo head coach was telling the wing official time out and then do it, do it, do it over and over before the official finally stopped the play. The official seem reluctant to stop things. At least the NFL will only allow the one timeout. At the college or high school level one team can call all of their timeouts one after another while trying to ice the kicker.

The only reason I had the conversation with the assistant coach was he was right there in front of me while the head coach was still about 30 yards away. It was either deal with him right there, or run through him on my way to the head coach.

Also, I would like to add: As far as it becoming a technique to "stall" kickers, it's nice. As a former coach myself, I would have used it to that advantage. I just think the rule needs to be done away with because teams are getting into the mentality that once they yell timeout, it's supposed to be automatically given without regard to who yelled it.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Ref Ump Welsch

The only reason I had the conversation with the assistant coach was he was right there in front of me while the head coach was still about 30 yards away. It was either deal with him right there, or run through him on my way to the head coach.

I would recommend in the future that you do exactly that. Walk around him and discuss the issue with the head coach. If he steps in your way on purpose, flag it.

[swkansasref33]

all you have to do as a wingman is act "deaf" on the play lol... should take care of all timeouts in this situation

That would be pretty easy for me. I can just turn off my hearing aid and be deaf! Shhhh!