Timing Rules Quiz
 

In an effort to get back to talking rules questions:

Play 1: Opening kickoff from the K-40. K1 kicks a surprise onside kick. K1 touches the ball at the K-47 and it rolls to the K-49 where K2 picks the ball up. When does the clock start?

Play 2: With one second left in the first quarter, K1 kicks off from the K-40. K1 kicks a surprise onside kick. K2 touches the ball at the R-47. One second later, K3 possesses the ball at the R-45. When should the clock start?

Play 3: 4/10 from the R-40 with 13 seconds remaining the first quarter. K1 lines up with only six players on the line of scrimmage. K1 punts the ball and R1 catches the punt at the R-5 where he is tackled inbounds. R1 accepts the penalty for the illegal formation foul and the game clock is stopped at 5 seconds remaining. When will the clock start? Are there other considerations?


Play 4: 3/10 from the A-30 with 10 seconds remaining in the first quarter and the clock running. A1 commits a false start foul and B accepts the penalty for the foul. Clock is stopped with 3 seconds. When does the clock start and is there an untimed down?


Play 5: 2/12 from the A-32. A1 throws a pass and is then roughed by B1. A1’s pass is intercepted by B2 who runs to the A-25 and he is (a) tackled inbounds (b) goes out of bounds. When will the clock start?


Play 6: Either (a) 4/4 or (b) 4/9 at the 50 with 32 seconds remaining in the 4th quarter and team K leading by 2 points. K1 punts the ball and R1 is flagged for running into the kicker. The punt is caught at the R-20 and R2 is downed inbounds at the R-23. When the clock is stopped, there are 25 seconds remaining in the 4th quarter. What options and clock information should be offered to K?


Play 7: 10 seconds remaining in the 3rd quarter, A’s ball 1/10. A1 runs the B-5 and the game official accidentally sounds an inadvertent whistle thinking he has crossed the goal line. Time expires during the down and before the whistle.


Play 8: 3/15 from the A-35 with 10 seconds remaining in the 4th quarter. Team A is trailing by 3 points. A1 throws a long completed pass to A2 who catches the ball at the B-20 and he runs to the B-5 where he is in the process of being tackled by B1. He then throws an illegal forward pass to B2 in the end zone and B2 catches the pass.


Play 9: 1/10 at the B-12 with two seconds remaining in the 4th quarter and the clock stopped. Team B is winning by 6. A1 drops back to pass and before the pass, lineman A52 is illegally downfield. (not blocking, just downfield) A1 throws the pass to A3 who catches the pass in the end zone. Time expires during the down. What are B’s options?


Play 10: 3/10 at the B-35 with 12 seconds remaining in the 2nd quarter. A1 throws a completed pass to A2. Before the pass, A50 is flagged for holding. With 3 seconds remaining, A2 is (a) is tackled inbounds at the B-28 , or (b) runs out of bounds at the B-10. When does the clock start?


Play 11: 4/10 at the R-45 yard line. K1 punts the ball and (a) R1 fair catches the ball at the R-10. Team K is flagged for an illegal formation foul. R wants to force K to replay 4th down by accepting the penalty. When will the clock start?


Play 12: 3/15 at the A-40. A1 drops back to pass. Before the pass B1 is flagged for holding at the A-42. A1 then throws a pass that is intercepted by B1 at the B-48. B1 runs the ball back to the A-47 where (a) he goes out of bounds (b) where he is tackled inbounds.

1. Never.
2. When K3 first touched the ball.
3. Start the clock on the ready and get ready for an untimed down.
4. Start on the ready but no untimed down.
5. a) Ready b) Snap
6. a) accept penalty, 1st down for A then clock will start on ready, decline, 1st down for B and clock will start on snap. b) accept penalty, 4th down for A then clock will start on ready, decline, 1st down for B and clock will start on snap. Accepting the penalty in either situation will run out the game clock but will require an untimed down.
7. A has option of replaying the entire down or taking the result of the play where the whistle was blown. The period will be extended by an untimed down either way.
8. If the clock ran out during the play then the game is over. B has the option of declining the penalty and keeping the ball or accepting the penalty and giving A the ball at B-10. Either way there is no untimed down.
9. If ineligible downfield is declined then A gets a touchdown. If accepted then A gets an untimed down from B-17.
10. a) if accepted the clock will start on the ready but an untimed down is likely. If declined then the clock will start on the ready. b) the clock will start on the snap.
11. The clock will start on the snap after a fair catch.
12. The clock will start on the snap if this penalty is declined. a) the clock will start on the snap. b) the clock will start on the ready.

1. On the snap when R puts the ball in play.
2. On the snap when K puts the ball in play to start the 2Q because the 1Q ended during the free kick.
3. K is repeating the down and the clock will start on the RFP.
4. Clock starts on the RFP. No untimed down.
5. a)RFP b)Snap
6. a) Accept-1/10, clock on RFP; Decline-R ball, start on snap.
b) Accept-4/4, clock on RFP, clock runs out; Decline-R ball, start on snap.
7. Untimed down.
8. B declines the penalty, retains the ball because of the turnover and the game is over because the clock surely expired with all of that happening.
9. Accept -untimed down with penalty enforcement of 5 yards from previous spot; Decline-results of the play. Surely they will accept and the untimed down will start at the B17.
10. a) RFP; b) Snap
11. Snap
12. a) Snap; b) RFP

Good quiz. I hope I did better than 50%. Clock starting is one of my weak areas.

Edited to fix my brain cramp.

1. Never
2. Start and stop when K3 possesses
3. Snap, both, as the prior play ended with a change of possession
4. RFP
5. Snap
6. Accept the penalty and you do not need to snap the ball, the game will be over.
7. Untimed down, either a replay or down counts and on B-5.
8. If time expires during the play decline the penalty and the game is over, accept and untimed down A's ball on the 10.
If time is left decline the penalty and clock starts on the snap.
9. Decline A get to attempt the try. Accept, untimed down from the 15.
10. a. RFP, no untimed down b. snap
11. Snap
12. Snap

Start on the snap following a fair catch?
 

Ques. 11: Why would the clock start on the snap following the replay of the down. There has been no change of possession? (NF)

Because the action that ended the play was a fair catch, which also causes the clock to stop (same as the ball carrier running out of bounds or an incomplete pass).

In regard to number 4, I was under the impression that even if time expired after the administration of a dead ball foul, we would have an untimed down. I take it that this is not the case. I will need to study the timing rules further.

I said we wouldn't have an untimed down because the false start (a dead ball foul) didn't happen DURING the last timed down of the quarter.

I'm not saying I'm right, but that is what I think.

Well both you and Warren said the same thing and I've trusted your rules judgment before. Its rare but I have missed things once or twice... well maybe a couple more times. :rolleyes:

Re: # 2
 

Warren and Scooby - As there can be multiple instances of first touching by K during a free kick, why would the clock start (or start-and-stop) when K3 touches or recovers the kick?

I agree with you. There can be more than one spot of first touching. Are they saying the clock starts on the second instance of first touching? If so, that's a new one on me.

In #2, the free kick is touched at R-47, which is not first touching. The clock should be started at this point.

Now if there were first touching, and then K again touched the kick legally, I would start the clock where it was touched legally.

Exactly. I like Redding's explanation. There can be more than one reason to stop the clock. There are major clock stoppers and minor ones. The fair catch is a major one. Major ones trump and when they do, you start on the snap.

MNBlue is right. You extend the period if a foul occurs during the last timed down. A FS isn't during a timed down.

Good point on the major and minor clock stoppers.

Well, Mike thanks again for the quiz. Looks like I need to do some more clock rules study!

Never mind. I've got it now.

I missed that part of it. Good catch.

My Answers
 

Here are the answers I have:

Play 1 Answer: Clock should never start on this play because the clock does not start on first touching violations by K. R will take the ball at the first instance of first touching by K. It will be R’s ball 1st and 10 at the K-47. If any time ran off the clock, the game clock should be reset to 12:00.

Play 2 Answer: The clock should start when K2 touches the ball. Even though K2 is first to touch the ball, this touching is not “first touching”. Because the quarter ends because K3 was legally in possession of the free kick, K will have possession of the ball to start the 2nd quarter at the R-45.

Play 3 Answer: Game clock will start on the ready-for-play. If the game clock expires, team K must still run a play because there was a penalty accepted for a foul that occurred during the last timed down of a period.

Play 4 Answer: Clock starts on the ready-for-play because it was running. If the clock expires, there is NOT an untimed down because the foul did not occur DURING the last timed down of the period. It occurred BEFORE the down started.

Play 5 Answer: Team A will take the roughing the passer penalty and will keep the ball. In (a), because team B was not awarded a new series as a result of the foul, the clock starts on the ready-for-play.. In (b), because B went out of bounds, the action that caused the down to end also caused the clock to stop. Therefore, the clock will start on the snap.

Play 6 Answer: In (a), because the foul would result in a first down (a new series) for K, the clock would start on the snap If K wanted to decline the penalty, the clock would start on the snap because B/R would be awarded a new series following a legal kick. In (b), if A accepted the penalty, the clock would start on the ready-for-play because K or R was not awarded a new series following a legal kick. It would be K’s ball 4/4 at the R-45.. If time expired before the down was replayed, K would need to run an untimed down. If K declined the penalty for the foul, the clock would start on the snap and R would have the ball.

Play 7 Answer: The 3rd quarter would be extended by an untimed down and the official who blew the whistle is buying dinner for the rest of the crew.

Play 8 Answer: The play results in a touchdown, but because Team A committed a foul that specifies loss of down (an illegal forward pass) on the last timed down of a period, the score is cancelled and Team A will not be permitted to run an untimed down. Team B wins the game.

Play 9 Answer: Declining the penalty would result in a touchdown for Team A so B’s only real option is to take the penalty for A’s foul. Because ineligible downfield does not carry loss of down, Team A will have the opportunity for one untimed down from the B-17.

Play 10 Answer: In (a) the clock will start on the ready-for-play. If Team B accepts the penalty, Team A will be given an opportunity for an untimed down. If Team B declines the penalty, Team A must run a play before the game clock expires of the period is over. In (b), the game clock starts on the snap so Team B will likely have the penalty for the foul enforced.

Play 11 Answer: Clock will start on the snap because the action that caused the down to end (the fair catch) also caused the clock to stop.

Play 12 Answer: In (a) the clock will start on the snap because the action that caused the down (player going out of bounds with the ball) also caused the clock to stop. In (b), the clock will start on the ready-for-play because the action that caused the down to end (player tackled inbounds) does not cause the clock to stop. The clock was stopped for an official’s timeout following a change of possession. Because B was not awarded a new series and because a player was tackled inbounds, clock starts on the ready-for-play.

Well looking at my answers from Refstripes, I had almost all of them. I disagree with your answer for 6 a) however. I believe that the clock should start on the RFP because the action that caused the down to end did not cause the clock to stop. Even though A was awarded a new series, it is not considered after a legal kick since that down was replayed.

Canadian Ruling
 

CANADIAN RULINGS:

1. RFP.
2. RFP to start 2Q.
3. RFP.
4. RFP and at least 1 more play in 1Q.
5. RFP is before 3mw; snap if after 3mw.
6. Snap in all cases - 10 yards for A will give them 1D.
7. Go to 4Q, clock on RFP.
8. RFP. If time ran out before the play ended, game over.
9. Decline to give A a TD. Accept to give A one more play: 1D/20 @ B-22.
10. Accept penalty: snap, as we're under the 3mw. Decline: (a) RFP as tackled inbounds, (b) snap as ball was carried OB.
11. RFP is before 3mw; snap if after 3mw.
12. A will accept the B hold: RFP is before 3mw; snap if after 3mw.

3-4-3c...Either team is awarded a new series following a legal kick.

I believe it starts on the snap since K was awarded a new series following a legal kick. There was nothing illegal about the kick. Casebook 3.4.2 Sit. B. has a similar play except it references a free kick.

Think about 6a this way. 4th down, they have their kicking team on the field. They get a first down by virtue of a penalty, when either team is awarded a new series following a legal kick (and it doesn't matter HOW that occurs), then the clock starts on the snap. This allows the team to replace their kicking team with the regular offense and not have the clock running.

Well I was initially going to say that 3-4-2b superseceds 3-4-3 but while reading the rule again, I found that it doesn't. :)

After further review...I agree with both of you, start on the snap. Thanks for the education folks!