Starting and Stopping the Clock

[MNBlue]

Originally Posted by Niner

With 12 seconds remaining and the clock running in the 4th quarter, team A runs the ball to B’s 5. They immediately (after the ready of play whistle) line up and the quarterback takes a direct snap and legally spikes the ball to stop the clock; however, a) there is an illegal motion penalty on A on the play, or b) several interior linemen were unable to get set. If B declines the penalties, when do you start the clock and if it expires before A can snap, do you extend. If B accepts the penalty when would you start the clock and if you start the clock and it expires before A can snap the ball, is there an extension?

a) Illegal Motion - live ball foul
Accept: ball on B's 10, clock was stopped due to the incomplete pass, start on the snap
Decline: ball on B's 5, clock was stopped due to the incomplete pass, start on the snap

b) Illegal Shift - live ball foul
Accept: ball on B's 10, clock was stopped due to the incomplete pass, start on the snap
Decline: ball on B's 5, clock was stopped due to the incomplete pass, start on the snap

If, for whatever reason, you decided the the penalty was a false start and not an illegal shift then:

b-1) False Start - dead ball foul
Accept: ball on B's 10, clock was running and then stopped due to the DB penalty, start on the ready, extend if A can't get another play
Decline: ball on B's 5, clock was running and then stopped due to the DB penalty, start on the ready, don't extend