End of Half Timing Rules

[reddevil19]

I'm the PA announcer at one of the JUCO's in my area and we had what I would call a bizarre incident at the end of the first half of our game Saturday night that maybe someone here could shed some light on as to how this was handled and the explanation given...

End of 1st half, visiting team has ball with two timeouts and time running down. 3rd down play ends near the sideline and the 50, right near head coach. As the play ended, the HL signalled to kill the clock, and the clock stopped with 2 seconds remaining. This signal was seen by everyone in the press box (clock operator, myself, newspaperman and the visitor's radio announcers). However, the R went and took the ball from the U and faced the press box, held it up and twirled his hand signalling to take the time off the clock. This led to the visiting team head coach having a tirade of nearly 5 minutes with the officials.

After the team and coach finally vacated the field and about 3 minutes after the halftime clock was started, the BJ came into the press box looking for the timer. Once the timer returned, the BJ chastised the timer for stopping the clock and told him, and I am quoting directly "In the last 3 seconds of the half, you are to let the clock run out and then we will tell you to put time back on the clock." We were a bit stunned by that remark.

In 10 years announcing at this JUCO, I've never heard an official tell the timer that, ever. In 15 years in running clocks at high school games, I have never had an official tell me that. We asked a couple of guys we know from the local officials association today if they had ever heard that philosophy, and neither one of them remember being told that, although they both point out they never worked above High School.

IMO, having a philosophy like that is simply asking for (if not demanding) a controversy during a game. I know the NFL has a 5 second rule for FGA's, but is this thing that the BJ told the timer on Saturday night an "unwritten rule" for college games? The whole thing was just very, very strange.

Thanks in advance for your responses!

[mbyron]

Yep, it's annoying when folks make stuff up.

Sounds like this crew just wanted to get off the field and into the locker room for the half. What was the weather like?