Play at end of game

[Stinterp]

Late in the 4th period, Team A trails 0-7 no timeouts remaining.  Team A completes a long pass down to the B-5 for a first and goal and is tackled in bounds, 00.3 seconds remain on the clock. (tenths of a second show on this game clock).  Team A rushes down and sets over the ball, all 11 players are stationary for more than 1 second.  The crew all get into position, The Referee blows the RFP and the ball is immediately snapped and Team A scores a TD.  Legal play?

[FLAHL]

Sounds legal to me. Would require a lot of discipline on Team A’s part, but nothing in your OP is a foul.

[bama_stripes]

Sounds like a home team ECO!   

[prab]

Agree that this is a legal play.

However, does this not demand that every game clock be able to display tenths of a second?

Sometimes it seems to me that we do some things simply because we know how to do them, rather than because there is any good reason to do them.

[ncwingman]

However, does this not demand that every game clock be able to display tenths of a second?

I would contend, probably incorrectly, that if a clock does not display tenths, then it always rounds up -- therefore at 0:00.3 left, the "regular" clock would still display 0:01 which seems like there would be enough time to get the play off.

It sounds a little more bizarre to think "Yeah, there is time left on the clock, but there's not *enough* time on the clock, so despite there being a second left, the game is over because you can't run another play"

Sometimes it seems to me that we do some things simply because we know how to do them, rather than because there is any good reason to do them.

You misquoted Dr. Ian Malcolm slightly -- "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."

[markrischard]

My only concern would be; did the referee needlessly delay the clock so that everyone could get lined up? If the players were all in position before the box was set, I'd say everything was done properly.

[FLAHL]

How about this scenario?

All of B's players are onside and ready.
10 of A's players are set for one second, but Bubba is still going down to his 3 point stance and clearly not set for 1 second.
A's qb throws a touchdown pass, and there a multiple flags on Bubba.

What now?

[TampaSteve]

first: tell the ECO to turn off the tenths.
second: if everyone is set, I dont see any reason why this would not be a play.

[markrischard]

How about this scenario?

All of B's players are onside and ready.
10 of A's players are set for one second, but Bubba is still going down to his 3 point stance and clearly not set for 1 second.
A's qb throws a touchdown pass, and there a multiple flags on Bubba.

What now?

Untimed down after enforcement.

[CalhounLJ]

How about this scenario?

All of B's players are onside and ready.
10 of A's players are set for one second, but Bubba is still going down to his 3 point stance and clearly not set for 1 second.
A's qb throws a touchdown pass, and there a multiple flags on Bubba.

What now?

How about invoking 1-1-6, declare the game over, and let's all go home? After taking the points off the board, of course. 

[bossman72]

first: tell the ECO to turn off the tenths.

"I'll try, but I'm not sure if it can do that".

[TampaSteve]

each clock that has tenths that I've come across you can modify to either tenths or whole seconds. - of course, there's many makers and each are unique

[FLAHL]

I ask our ECO to turn the tenths off as well.  I admit that I do like one thing about them though.  When you glance at the clock to make sure that it's running (or stopped), you can tell immediately with tenths.  When the tenths are turned off, sometimes it seems like it takes way tooooo long for that full second to tick off.

[brettjr2005]

How about this scenario?

All of B's players are onside and ready.
10 of A's players are set for one second, but Bubba is still going down to his 3 point stance and clearly not set for 1 second.
A's qb throws a touchdown pass, and there a multiple flags on Bubba.

What now?

That's one of those damned if you do, damned if you don't situations.  A had no regard for their team being lined up legally because they didn't have time to, so that can certainly be argued as an attempt to conserve time.  However, if you enact 1-1-6 or 3-4-6, coach A is going to throw a hissy-fit about it not being "intentional" and accuse you of making up rules.  If you give them an untimed down coach B is going to come unhinged because you're allowing A to run a play that they would have never gotten off if they had waited for their team to be legally lined up. 

I think the best "spirit of the rules" thing to do is to invoke 1-1-6 or 3-4-6, ruling that the clock would have expired had A not committed a penalty, march them back 5 yards for the penalty, then run the final 0.3 seconds off the clock.  Game over.