Untimed Down

[Adam]

This is going to show my football rules ignorance, but at the end of the 3Q last night, Ohio State was hit with an offensive holding penalty. Time had run out, but the officials extended the quarter for an untimed down.
I thought untimed downs were only for defensive penalties. Why didn't they just go to the 4Q and replay 3rd down that way?

[mbyron]

I don't have the NCAA reference handy, but I bet it's substantially the same as NFHS 3-3-3:

"A period must be extended by an untimed down if during the last
timed down of the period, one of the following occurred:
a. There was a foul by either team and the penalty is accepted, except for
those fouls listed in 3-3-4b.
b. There was a double foul.
c. There was an inadvertent whistle.
d. If a touchdown was scored, the try is attempted unless the touchdown is
scored during the last down of the fourth period and the point(s) would not
affect the outcome of the game or playoff qualifying.
If (a), (b), (c) or (d) occurs during the untimed down, the procedure is repeated."

If the defense wants to end the period, they can decline the penalty. They didn't want to do that in last night's game, because OSU would have started the next period with a 1st and 10 instead of 3rd and long

[Welpe]

It is the same as NFHS, any accepted penalty for a live ball foul will extend the period for an untimed down. Unlike the NFHS, though, the period will only be extended if time expired during the down.

[Coach Jinx]

Originally Posted by Welpe

It is the same as NFHS, any accepted penalty for a live ball foul will extend the period for an untimed down. Unlike the NFHS, though, the period will only be extended if time expired during the down.

can u explain this because I dont agree

[Welpe]

Sure:

3-2-3-a

I'd copy and paste the rule but iBooks doesn't allow it but notice that the rule says if time expires during the down.

[bisonlj]

Originally Posted by Coach Jinx

can u explain this because I dont agree

Correct...in HS the criteria the foul occurred during the last time down. That means you could have a down that ends with time left on the clock but if another play is not run after the clock starts again, the foul still occurred during the last timed down. In NCAA, the clock must have hit 0 DURING the down where the foul occurred.

[HLin NC]

can u explain this because I dont agree

Why do you not agree, coachjinx?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by mbyron

I don't have the NCAA reference handy, but I bet it's substantially the same as NFHS 3-3-3:

"A period must be extended by an untimed down if during the last
timed down of the period, one of the following occurred:
a. There was a foul by either team and the penalty is accepted, except for
those fouls listed in 3-3-4b.
b. There was a double foul.
c. There was an inadvertent whistle.
d. If a touchdown was scored, the try is attempted unless the touchdown is
scored during the last down of the fourth period and the point(s) would not
affect the outcome of the game or playoff qualifying.
If (a), (b), (c) or (d) occurs during the untimed down, the procedure is repeated."

If the defense wants to end the period, they can decline the penalty. They didn't want to do that in last night's game, because OSU would have started the next period with a 1st and 10 instead of 3rd and long

OK, now that makes sense.

[Cobra]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

I thought untimed downs were only for defensive penalties.

Tries are not timed.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Cobra

Tries are not timed.

But are they considered "downs?"

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

But are they considered "downs?"

Yes, a try takes place during an untimed down. Not that it's at all relevant to your question.

[Cobra]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

But are they considered "downs?"

A down starts when the ball is snapped (scrimmage down) or free kicked (free kick down) and ends when the ball becomes dead.

[Adam]

Well I did say it would expose my ignorance with football rules.
Thanks again.

[bisonlj]

Thanks for asking the question. This is another example where announcers make our lives very difficult. At the end of a game a period can be extended for offensive or defensive fouls but it's not likely the defense would accept an offensive foul if decling it would end the game in their favor. One instance where they would accept it though is let's say A was called for offensive holding on a play where they scored a TD to take the lead as time expired. B's options - decline the penalty and lose the game or accept, enforce the penalty and play one untimed down. They would obviously chose to accept the penalty and the period is extended for an offensive penalty.

I guarantee you if that ever happened the talking heads would explode because they would be screaming "the period can only be extended for defensive penalties!"

[Suudy]

Originally Posted by bisonlj

Thanks for asking the question. This is another example where announcers make our lives very difficult.

Not just the play-by-play guys, but the clock operator and stadium announcer as well.

Oh, five or six years ago, we had a hold on the last timed down in the first quarter. When the clock was stopped for the penalty (the play ended in bounds), there as about :10 left on the clock. The coach decided to let the clock run out (I'm in WA, so NFHS rules). Our WH (the experienced, classy guy that he is) walked to both head coaches, explained there would be one untimed down, then made the signal and signaled the ready. At the snap, the clock operator started the clock. We then had to send a runner to the press box to tell him what happened. It was an ugly, lengthy delay, and there was grumbling from the fans. But at least the coaches knew what was up, and they were good with it.

We did a quarterfinal a few years back. Big stadium, big schools. We had a pass interference right at the end of the first quarter. Once again, we notified the coaches and went on with the untimed down. We enforced the penalty and signaled an untimed down. The announcer, over the PA, said "Um, Mr Official, the quarter is over." We nodded and said "Yes, we know." He persisted. "Hey guys, the quarter is over." We nodded again. We ran the play and and then went on. At halftime, the announcer came down and asked why we didn't take care of the end of the quarter. After explanation, he understood. Again, we looked cheesy, but again, the coaches knew what was up.