Officials Time Out

[IMTHELJ]

Having a discussion with fellow official about Officials Time Out for an injury ( say leg cramp ) .

I believe during an Officials Time Out that the players must remain on the field and the coaches must stay off the field unless they are attending to an injured player in which case they cannot coach while doing so.

Generally after the Referee signal for Officials Time Out for say the injured player , I will ask my sideline if they would like me to bring the team to within a yard of the sideline and instruct the coaches to stay off the field. Most coaches appreciate this.

A peer says the Officials Tine Out is treated no different than any other Time Out , that coaches and players can be below the numbers...

I cite Case Book 9.8.1 Situation L , and Rule Book 3.5.8 number two which covers Officials Time Out's that are treated as Authorized Conferences

What are your takes on this ? Every coach I've approached to bring his team to the sideline has been appreciative of doing this....

[Johnponz]

Many moons ago it was different, but now it is like any other dead ball period.  The teams are welcome to go to the sideline so the coaches can speak to them.

[Rulesman]

3-5-8c covers your situation. It goes hand-in-hand with 3-5-8a(3) and 3-5-10. Read them in that order. Bottom line, such a conference can only occur outside the 9-yard marks.

You are right about Case Book play 9.8.1 SITUATION L... the coach who enters the field to attend to the injured player may not communicate with his team. That said, don't go looking for trouble if he does. Just keep him moving. Now, if he starts chewing on the officials... well, that's another matter.

[HLinNC]

It has been several years now but the injury procedure is to send the players to their sideline during the  injured player time out.

[Rulesman]

It has been several years now but the injury procedure is to send the players to their sideline during the  injured player time out.

Only if there is expected to be an extended delay.

[Johnponz]

Agreed.  I would not send them over there, but as you stated earlier if they go over on their own and stay outside the 9 yard marks there is no issue. 

Personally, I would not be too picky on the 9 yard thing either.  It falls into the category of "looking for trouble."

[VALJ]

Injury timeouts allow authorized "outside the number/9-yard-mark" conferences.  Tell the kids on the field to stay on the field and not cross the sideline, and let them talk.

[Atlanta Blue]

Injury timeouts allow authorized "outside the number/9-yard-mark" conferences.  Tell the kids on the field to stay on the field and not cross the sideline, and let them talk.

Why can they not cross the sideline?  An outside the nines conference is held in front of the team box.  As you are fond of reminding all coaches, the team box does not include the first six feet outside the sideline.  The team box starts two yards off the field.  Players could be in the first two yards off the sideline and still be in front of the team box.

And really, if there is an injury time out for which you have sent the teams to an outside the nines conference, are you really worried about who crosses the line and who doesn't?  There is no limit to the number of players or coaches that can be in that conference, so are you going to worry about who stepped across the sideline and who didn't?  I can't imagine so.

[Johnponz]

In practice I would not worry about it.  As I said above that is looking for trouble.  There is plenty of trouble that is going to find you without looking for it.

[Ralph Damren]

If an injury appears to need a prolonged OTO, we should always send both teams to their respective sidelines for the following reasons :
   (1) Players shouldn't be exposed to a gruesome - compound fracture, etc. - injury;
   (2) Players shouldn't be left within earshot of opponents - retaliation threats, etc. ;
   (3) Players should be kept out of the way of healthcare professional/ rescue personal, etc.;
   (4) Coaches can help keep the player's minds on the game and not the injury.
If the injury is on the sideline, you have a 50 yard team box, just move the team to the other end.

[VALJ]

Why can they not cross the sideline?

3-7-3.  "During the same dead ball interval... no player shall withdraw and re-enter as a substitute unless a penalty is accepted, a dead ball foul occurs, there is a charged time out or the period ends."

In practice: as preventive officiating, I tell the kids who are already on the field "don't cross the sideline", and tell the coaches that anybody can come out onto the field to join the conference.  That way nobody's left the field, and nobody can argue that anyone's withdrawn and returned in the same interval.  Am I going to be a hard case about it if the kid takes one step onto the sideline to get a water bottle from one of the attendants?  No, but if I keep the players on the field on my sideline, and my partner keeps the players on the field on his sideline, then we don't have to worry about it becoming an issue with either side.

EDIT: I know that an issue with this would be looking for the figurative fly poop on the pepper.  But - to mangle the metaphor - if I can say something to prevent the fly from getting anywhere near the pepper in te first place, I don't have to worry about the poop anyway.

[AlUpstateNY]

Sometimes, just applying a minimal amount of adult, common sense can work wonders.

[Jim D]

Remember that players (including the whole team) can go over to the sideline to talk to a coach anytime they want.  This includes any time while the ball is dead or alive.  I can be during a charged time out, during an official's time our or any time they choose to.