Can an official besides the WH eject players/coaches if he sees fit?

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by Brandon Kincer

The first game I worked with him I blew an inadvertant whistle and he told me to keep my whistle out of my mouth unles the play was on my side of the field.

Bad advice. Only bad things can happen if you keep the whistle in your mouth during a live ball.

[Brandon Kincer]

Originally Posted by waltjp

Bad advice. Only bad things can happen if you keep the whistle in your mouth during a live ball.

I think what he really ment is don't even tempt to blow it if the play wasn't on my side. I always have my whistle in my mouth before the play even begins.

[Mike L]

Brandon,

what waltjp is saying & what I think you are not getting is it doesn't matter which side of the field the play is on, there is no reason to have your whistle in your mouth unless you intend to blow it right then.

[ajmc]

For what it's worth, Brandon, there really isn't any need to instantaneously blow a whistle, anywhere. As others have suggested, the only time a whistle kills a play is when it's inadvertent. Action kills a play and the whistle simply announces that the action has taken place.

When a player false starts or encroaches on the NZ, even so close to the snap that the play goes off, the movement or encroachment is what kills the action, so even if the play starts, the ball is dead and a slightly delayed whistle just tells everyone, who may have started, to stop.

Players are responsible to stop, when the action kills a play whether or not the whistle sounds. Coaches who instruct players to, "hit someone until you hear a whistle", are simply WRONG, and way behind the times.

The one absolute about whistles; no matter how hard you suck on one, you can't get the tweet back.

[KWH]

Remember Brandon, their only two times in NFHS football when a whistle correctly kills a live ball play in progress:
1) During a 1-point try attempt, when it becomes apparent the drop kick or place kick will not score.
2) During a 2-point try attempt, when B secures possession.

If a whistle is sounded during any other live ball action and "Lucy, there's some splainin' to do!"

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by KWH

Remember Brandon, their only two times in NFHS football when a whistle correctly kills a live ball play in progress:
1) During a 1-point try attempt, when it becomes apparent the drop kick or place kick will not score.
2) During a 2-point try attempt, when B secures possession.

No, not even in either of those cases. The facts that produce the dead ball precede the whistle.

[KWH]

Robert,
Not gonna splitt hairs with you. But, while technically you are correct, typically speaking, a whistle is required to shut down the action. This requirement does not occur in any other situation other than the two I listed.