This is correct. The rules governing this situation are in 2-6-2. This coach is allowed on the field during a timeout. We see unauthorized conferences all the time, either a sideline conference that wanders outside the numbers or a between the nine conference where more than one coach comes out. We correct these situations with a warning, and if they comply and correct the error immediately, no flag is thrown. This situation is the same. He should be warned that he may not be past the hash mark on the opponents side of the field, and if he doesn't comply, he should be flagged for USC. The fact that no one stopped or warned him makes it a stretch for me to flag him in this situation.

What if he goes around the field?

2-32-10 defines a coach to be in the category of "nonplayers".

9-8-3 states that a nonplayer shall not be outside his team box (except for three in the restricted area).

The team box does not extend "around" the field. Therefore, he has gone outside his team box. If someone isn't uncomfortable banging him for that, you've also got 9-9-5, with the "travesty of the game" clause.

^What he said^

Sometimes I can't believe what I read here. The coaches aren't allowed out of their team area. The exception to that is whn they have a timeout at which point they are allowed to address their team between the hashes. This is the exception. Since this coach is not operating within this exception, we are well within the rules to flag him.

That being said, he had to walk past 5 officials on the way to the other sideline. Although a foul certainly could be called in this scenario, the crew should try to get him back first.

"Travesty of the game" would be an outright ridiculous call. You're taking the football game as subsuming the whole world, instead of being just one part of a person's life. Obviously nonplayers can leave their team box to use the bathroom, go talk to a friend, etc. If two coaches want to have a meeting, that's a level of conduct outside of and superseding the game, not part of the game and its administration. It does not interfere with the game, and the game should not interfere with it.

I don't think that this is the point. The rule says that the coach is allowed between the hashes to "address his team" this is an exception to the prohibition of him being on the field. If it is a TO, and he is not addressing his team, he is outside the exception.

I'm sure some of you have had the situation where the coach calls a time out (not a ref/coach conference) and makes a beeline to the referee to complain. In that circumstance I tell him he can have a conference w me or his team, not both. He usually looks at me with a bewildered look, swears under his breath and storms off.

I'm not sure what point you think I was trying to make, but I think we probably agree more than you would guess. I'm merely saying that during timeouts, coaches and conferences frequently go outside the exception, and we correct it without flags. In this instance, the crew could have corrected this before the coach ever got close to the other sideline. Since the coach was not stopped or warned, they missed an opportunity to correct this situation without even considering a flag. Any flag for USC after the fact is partly on the crew, IMO.

You are right, we are mostly in agreement. My only point of disagreement was that the coach is not addressing his team. Thus, it wouldn t matter if he was screaming at the other coach from the middle of the field. If he's not addressing his team, he has no reason to be out there.

If the coaches have agreed to have a game, gotten it sanctioned by whatever authority, hired officials, invited fans (and maybe charged admission) and trained their players, then for the period of time that the game occurs, that game and its rules are their life. It is so because they have agreed to make it so.

The rules demand that unless there is a good reason for one coach to NEED to talk to another, AND the WH allows the conversation, he's not going to cross the field without penalty.

We're not gonna hold up action because two guys who should be working want to have tea and crumpets at mid-field.

They'd have to put a stop on my check since I normally receive a check or cash before the game starts.

I agree with this as well. If he were to start yelling at the other sideline, I'd still warn him to stop or leave the field. If he didn't comply, I'd flag him.

What if the peanut vendor is on the other side of the field, and the coach wants peanuts?

He needs to send the trainer, photographer, statistician, or one of the dozen other people who want to be in the restricted zone, but can't be.

SECTION 8 NONCONTACT UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT BY NONPLAYERS
ART. 1 . . . No coach, substitute, athletic trainer or other team attendant shall
act in an unsportsmanlike manner once the game officials assume authority for
the contest. Examples are, but not limited to: