Half time warm up rule: 17 & 3 USC on Coach

[d1ref2b]

I am curious how your local association or State is going to handlethe required 3 minute warm up period that proceeds the third quarter. We let the HC's know that the half time clock will be set at 17:00 and then 3:00. Some come out on time others don't. How far are you going to take preventative officiating? My Board wants me to send in the LJ and BJ with the teams and let them know when it is time to go.

[kfo9494]

What we do now is -- About five minutes before the end of the halftime (twenty minutes) we send the LJ and BJ to the locker rooms and advised that they have ( ) certain amount of time before the end of half-time. It has been the coaches responsibility to have the players out there at the end of the halftime clock.
We have been setting 3:00 right at the end of half-time and let it run down. If the players were not out there it was the coaches fault. We just let the clock run down and then started playing. If the team delayed the start of the 3rd quarter then we must have a penalty.
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I have not read the new rule but heard someone talk about it.
Now are we going to have a penalty if they are not out there at the end of half-time?

[KWH]

9-8-1g

1. Be ready to start the first half; and

2. Be on the field following the conclusion of the halftime intermission; or,

3. Be ready to start the second half at the conclusion of the mandatory warm-up period.

I don't think the new rule leaves too much of a gray area.
In your example, if they are not on at the field the end of 17:00 halftime intermission or not ready to start the second half at the end of 3:00 mandatory warm-up period.

FYI - Before we get carried away, I believe if a coach were to violate both 2 and 3 the correct interpretation is ONE FLAG.
This should be the correct interpretation as 2 and 3 are connected with an "or".
Restated, since items 2 and 3 are connected by an "or" this should be interpreted as ONE FLAG for either violation or both!

There is a high likelyhood we will see a sample play before the season starts.

[HLin NC]

Won't know until clinic starts. In the past few seasons, we've put up teh intermission- wind to 0:00 then place 3:00 and wind again. We've always left it to the coaches to have the teams back out. Most have an assistant monitoring the time anyway. Don't know if the state will tell us to send the wings or continue to leave it up to them.

[Bob M.]

REPLY: I'm anxious to see how the Fed wants us to handle this. I'll begin by saying that we always send the L and B to get the two teams and ensure they're out when they need to be, so we haven't had a problem. But for the sake of discussion, suppose we didn't do that. We've always been told that the 3 minute warm-up was mandatory, i.e. even if a team arrived late, they still needed to be given their three minutes. We were even told that it's a liability issue. We had to ensure they had the proper time to warm up after arriving. Now if they arrived late and we had to delay that three-minute warmup period, it was a USC flag. But we would not start the 3:00 clock if a team wasn't there and would never short change them that warmup time. Is the Fed specifying something different now?? I couldn't tell for certain by what I had read.

[d1ref2b]

My understanding of what I read in the Quarterly and what has been discussed at my local meetings is that the 3 minutes is still mandatory and if the team is late it is a 15 yard USC against the HC. IMO, If the NFHS wanted us to send guys to the locker room then they would have changed the mechanic and would have not changed the rule. I understand preventative, but to what extreme. A HS staff with 7-8 Coaches should be able to assign one person to the clock and let the HC know when he must leave the locker room.

[jaybird]

We had officials come to our locker room when I played in the early to mid- 70's.

I only hope we aren't asked by our respective state associations to become "mini-me's" of our Division I brethren, who actually have two officials accompanying each team as they come out of their locker rooms. (I know the Big 12 does that, I've seen it at the Nebraska home games)

[KWH]

Originally Posted by Bob M.

REPLY: I'm anxious to see how the Fed wants us to handle this. I'll begin by saying that we always send the L and B to get the two teams and ensure they're out when they need to be, so we haven't had a problem. But for the sake of discussion, suppose we didn't do that. We've always been told that the 3 minute warm-up was mandatory, i.e. even if a team arrived late, they still needed to be given their three minutes. We were even told that it's a liability issue. We had to ensure they had the proper time to warm up after arriving. Now if they arrived late and we had to delay that three-minute warmup period, it was a USC flag. But we would not start the 3:00 clock if a team wasn't there and would never short change them that warmup time. Is the Fed specifying something different now?? I couldn't tell for certain by what I had read.

Bob-
Sending the B and L to their respective locker rooms is certainly good solid preventative officiating. That being said, it is my understanding that this "jesture of goodwill" will not be required by the NFHS.
What is required is that the Head Coach have his team back on the field at the end of the scheduled halftime intermission. Failure to do so results in a 15-yard Unsportsmanlike Conduct Foul issued to the head coach. (9-8-1g2)
It is of no concern of the clock operator it the teams are on the field as the clock operaor SHALL be instructed to start the Mandatory 3-minute warm-up countdown immediately at the conclusion of the scheduled half time as per the clarifications via additional wording which have been added to Table 3-1

That is my take on the interpretation of this rule clarification.
We as you, always held the start of the 3:00 clock until both teams were on the field. This is no longer correct as per the 2009 Rules Book. Again, as per Table 3-1: The game officials are responsible for ensuing that these is a three-minute warm-up period posted on the clock and the clock immediately started for use by the coaches immediately after the halftime intermission expires. The head coach is responsible for his team being on the field for mandatoy warm-up period at the end of the scheduled intermission.

Nowhere in the any of the rule publications does it say Game officials are responsiblile for delaying the start of the Mandatory Warm-up period due to liability concerns.
We now have clear direction in the RULE BOOK! Officials are to Start the Warm-up clock and flag the coach. In my lay opinion, I would say any liablity concerns have shifted to the Head Coach as per the woring of the Rules Book.

That being said, I would encourage everyone to check with your State Rules Interpreter for any additional direction.

[Ed Hickland]

Originally Posted by d1ref2b

I am curious how your local association or State is going to handlethe required 3 minute warm up period that proceeds the third quarter. We let the HC's know that the half time clock will be set at 17:00 and then 3:00. Some come out on time others don't. How far are you going to take preventative officiating? My Board wants me to send in the LJ and BJ with the teams and let them know when it is time to go.

Why 17 minutes? Halftime is usually 15 and can be a maximum of 20. Then the warm-up period is separate.

The spirit and intent of the rule is to make sure the players warm up before starting the second half. If you fail to give it you are negligent. If the teams stand at attention for the three minutes it is not our problem.

Some of these athletes are looking at scholarships worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and maybe an NFL career worth millions of dollars. What if one of your All-whatevers pulls a muscle in the second half, then the injury causes him not to get a scholarship to a top D1 school. So one day there is a knock on your door with a subpoena to appear for a multi-million dollar lawsuit because you did not put 3 minutes on the clock for warm up and therefore you were negligent.

Don't laugh, saw a similar situation in another sport.

[HLin NC]

Ed, we won't fail to give it, the coach failed to follow the rule to avail his team of it and will be penalized. Why should the opponent that follows the rule be forced to wait until whatever time his counterpart decides he wants to come out? Under your principle, all it costs him is one 15 yard penalty, so if he wants to play whatever stupid little head games he wishes, why would you allow him the delay.

I don't think we'll see a multi million dollar lawsuit over a pulled hammy. And I'm not laughing but if you're that scared, you might want to stay home and lock all the doors and windows and never go outside. Its a big ole scary world out there.

[SWFLguy]

Where this could really get dicey is when schools have big half time ceremonies like at homecoming or the last game and it is Senior Day. If both teams are there and obeyed all timing rules, you may still be delayed through no fault of theirs. Do we flag the band director or the AD ?? Some direction from state associations might be in order so that maybe these events are held before the game or after if they cannot fit them into the allotted half time.

[Brett]

Originally Posted by KWH

That is my take on the interpretation of this rule clarification.
We as you, always held the start of the 3:00 clock until both teams were on the field. This is no longer correct as per the 2009 Rules Book. Again, as per Table 3-1: The game officials are responsible for ensuing that these is a three-minute warm-up period posted on the clock and the clock immediately started for use by the coaches immediately after the halftime intermission expires. The head coach is responsible for his team being on the field for mandatoy warm-up period at the end of the scheduled intermission.

I never saw the point in holding the clock in 2008 or any other prior year for that matter (other than the big bad liability "boogie-man" of which some are so afraid). The 2008 rule book said:

(The game officials are responsible for ensuring that there is a three-minute warm-up period posted on the clock for use by the coaches immediately after the halftime intermission expires. The head coach is responsible for his team being on the field for mandatory warm-up time at the end of the scheduled halftime intermission.)

Even though the words "and the clock immediately started" didn't appear, the intent was clear as day. The officials are responsible for posting and running the clock. The coach(es) are responsible for having the team on the field for the warm up period. I guess the new wording is nice as I won't have to have the silly argument anymore (online or off).

[KWH]

Originally Posted by SWFLguy

Where this could really get dicey is when schools have big half time ceremonies like at homecoming or the last game and it is Senior Day. If both teams are there and obeyed all timing rules, you may still be delayed through no fault of theirs. Do we flag the band director or the AD ?? Some direction from state associations might be in order so that maybe these events are held before the game or after if they cannot fit them into the allotted half time.

This situation you are questioning is specifically addressed under Rule 3-6-4.
Delay of Game is charged to the Home Teams Game Managment.

3-6-4...Game managment is responsible for clearing the field of play and the end zones at the beginning of each half so play may begin at the scheduled time. PENALTY - Delay of Game

[Ed Hickland]

Originally Posted by HLin NC

Ed, we won't fail to give it, the coach failed to follow the rule to avail his team of it and will be penalized. Why should the opponent that follows the rule be forced to wait until whatever time his counterpart decides he wants to come out? Under your principle, all it costs him is one 15 yard penalty, so if he wants to play whatever stupid little head games he wishes, why would you allow him the delay.

I don't think we'll see a multi million dollar lawsuit over a pulled hammy. And I'm not laughing but if you're that scared, you might want to stay home and lock all the doors and windows and never go outside. Its a big ole scary world out there.

You're missing the point. Failure to properly time the mandatory warm-up period opens you up the the possibility of some bright legal mind to seek some recompense for a failure that is probably not your fault. By following the rules as written protects you as an official, if the player did not warm up that ball lands in his court alone.

And, even staying home and locking all windows and doors does not fully protect one; what if, a burgular breaks your window and you shoot him before he enters, again, some bright legal mind could sue you saying the burglar never intended to enter your home he just loves to break windows.

If life was fair anyone could live it!