Translation issues

[With_Two_Flakes]

Rule 7-1-3-b-2
The player on each side of and next to the snapper may lock legs with the snapper, but any other lineman must have both feet outside the outside foot of the player next to him when the ball is snapped.

This Rule applies to all plays that starts with a snap, therefore it includes any scrimmage kick plays (punts, FG, PAT kick).

Even though the Rule applies to running or passing plays, it is most likely that it will be on a scrimmage kick play that the offense will break this Rule. By locking legs before the snap, they get an advantage to stop the defense getting through the gaps to block the kick.
Certainly in my officiating career, I have only ever seen this foul on a scrimmage kick play and maybe only 3 or 4 times in 20+ years.

So Referees and Umpires should start looking for it before the ball is snapped, so they are ready to drop their flag when the ball is snapped. It is a live ball foul. Remember not to flag it if it is the snapper and the guy on either side of him, they are allowed to lock legs.

Some well drilled teams will (after the snap) retreat into a blocking position so that players have their legs interlocked. That is not a foul. That is why you must see whether the legs are interlocked before the snap. You can't flag something you see 1 or 2 seconds after the snap.

Hope this helps....

[dvasques]

I'm gonna pay more attention to that when I watch NCAA games on TV but I was sure I saw some interlocking before the snap on scrimmage kicks

but that helps a lot... thanks, flake

[With_Two_Flakes]

No worries dvasques, always happy to help. Helps keep me thinking about football ready for our season here in Britain which starts shortly.

When you get to thinking about mechanics, then get in touch. The manual that is used in Britain and nine other European countries and by EFAF for European international games is pretty good. It covers all size crews from 7 man down to 3 man and was once described by Referee magazine as "the most comprehensive amatuer football officiating manual we've ever seen".

[dvasques]

where can I get one of those, Flake?
I downloaded one from BAFA website (I think) once and translated most of it. This one I got is very good but I still gotta get back into it to make sure I understand it fully so I can start teaching it down here

[With_Two_Flakes]

Hey dvasques,

I've sent you a Private Message about it.

Regards,
With_Two_Flakes

[dvasques]

Now, we're on the ARs and I found this on AR 3-2-5-V

Late in the second or fourth quarter, the ball carrier goes out of
bounds. When the game clock is stopped it reads (a) 2:00 or (b) 1:59.
RULING: (a) The game clock starts when the ball is ready for play.
(b) The game clock starts on the snap.


Now, why is it that you don't consider the two minutes warning when the clock hits 2:00?

[With_Two_Flakes]

Now, why is it that you don't consider the two minutes warning when the clock hits 2:00?

There is a difference between,
1) giving the "two minute warning" if there are no stadium clocks
2) when to start the clock when a runner goes out of bounds

What you have to remember is that pretty much every stadium in the USA (even a real small school) has a visible game clock, so "two minute warnings" almost never happen in the USA. It is likely that when the Rules Committee wrote that AR they were thinking 100% about the runner out of bounds and would not be thinking about "two minute warnings".

AR 3-2-5-V is all about the starting of the clock on a ball carrier / fumble / backward pass going out of bounds.

The rule (3-2-5-a-12 Exception) says start the clock on the snap within the last two minutes. By "within", they mean "less than" two minutes.

Therefore a time of 2:00 is not within (less than) the two minutes, but 1:59 is.




The time at which you would give the two minute warning is a different issue (see Rule 3-3-8-b). If there are no visible clocks (and I assume Brazil is in the same situation as Great Britain) then you will need to give a two minute warning. The purpose of this is to ensure the teams know how long is left since many teams will change their style of play when time is a factor (ie go into their two minute drill). Myself, I also remind them how many timeouts they have.

Now for the particular example they give in the AR you are talking about, then it might be that the two minute warning has not been given yet. So whether there is 2:00 or 1:59 left, you would give the "two minute warning" and 3-3-8-b-2 would over-rule 3-2-5-a-12 and you would start on the snap for both 2:00 or 1:59.

But it might be that the previous play (eg an incomplete pass) stopped the clock at 2:04 and you decided that was close enough to two minutes that you would give the "two minute warning".

Hope this makes sense, Daniel. But feel free to E-mail me if you want to discuss it further.

Regards,
Steve