Mandatory Equipment

[lonnieritch1981]

In years past, when a player was not wearing proper equipment, e.g., a mouthpiece or chin strap, especially a mouthpiece, we stopped the clock and charged the team a timeout.  Now all the rule book says is that player "shall [not] be permitted to play." 1-4-8-a.  Am I correct that the way this is handled currently mechanically is simply to stop the clock and send the offender to the sideline, not permitting him to play that down unless his team calls a timeout?

[GuilhermeCohen]

What I know is that the player who is not with all the mandatory equipment must be send out of the game until he corrects or, as you said, deal call a timeout.

We don't stop the clock and if the play clock comes to zero, it's a delay of game.

[dammitbobby]

I don't think you'll find a single NCAA official who will stop the clock and send a wideout off the field because he doesn't have a mouthpiece.  Should they?  Perhaps.  But we're also dealing with grown men who make their own choices, not to mention the likelihood of being chastised by a coordinator for an interruption such as that.  In that way, it's not much different than sending someone off because their knees aren't covered... from what I have seen, the philosophy is just let them play.   Just my .02

[ElvisLives]

In years past, when a player was not wearing proper equipment, e.g., a mouthpiece or chin strap, especially a mouthpiece, we stopped the clock and charged the team a timeout.  Now all the rule book says is that player "shall [not] be permitted to play." 1-4-8-a.  Am I correct that the way this is handled currently mechanically is simply to stop the clock and send the offender to the sideline, not permitting him to play that down unless his team calls a timeout?

There is no provision for stopping the clock. You just tell them that they must leave the game and correct the problem. You need to record the player's number, because he may not participate in the next down, even if he gets the problem fixed, unless his team takes a charged team time out. Now, if they refuse to leave the game, the R may need to interrupt the game. As long as the delay is not excessive, just get the guy off the field, and resume the game. But, if he refuses to leave, then we get into the realm of delay of game, or, ultimately, unsportsmanlike conduct (9-2-2-d).

[AlUpstateNY]

I don't think you'll find a single NCAA official who will stop the clock and send a wideout off the field because he doesn't have a mouthpiece.  Should they?  Perhaps.  But we're also dealing with grown men who make their own choices, not to mention the likelihood of being chastised by a coordinator for an interruption such as that.  In that way, it's not much different than sending someone off because their knees aren't covered... from what I have seen, the philosophy is just let them play.   Just my .02

Perhaps if what the rule say isn't completely accurate of what they mean, to avoid unnecessary legal consequences you might create a "Strongly Recommended" category and place the ultimate responsibility for compliance, and consequence, with "strongly grown men" to make, and bear responsibility for their own choices. Although that may not apply for players under the age of maturity, where parental acceptance, and agreement, may be necessary for such compliance.

[InsideTheStripes]

I don't think you'll find a single NCAA official who will stop the clock and send a wideout off the field because he doesn't have a mouthpiece.  Should they?  Perhaps.  But we're also dealing with grown men who make their own choices, not to mention the likelihood of being chastised by a coordinator for an interruption such as that.  In that way, it's not much different than sending someone off because their knees aren't covered... from what I have seen, the philosophy is just let them play.   Just my .02

I seem to remember a B1G official getting promoted to the NFL after (not because of) forcing "Ohio State to take a timeout over a 'ticky tack' mouthguard violation for Corey Smith" in 2016.

[dammitbobby]

Thay may have happened, but the larger point is that there are likely thousands of observed missing mouthpiece violations for every one that gets called out.