Robert, don't you have coaches that sometimes want to do the coin toss about 30 minutes before kickoff between the two head coaches and then reenact it? We've always accommodated that request.
Honest to God, in my 43 seasons of officiating, I've never had teams request the coin toss at any time other than T-3. I know it happens in other parts of the state. But, even in playoffs, I've never had a team request anything different. I give them an "opening" to request it during the coaches conferences, by saying that we'll execute the coin toss 3 minutes before kickoff. If they want something else, there is their opportunity to request it. But they never have. They may be ignorant of the UIL exception allowing it to be some other time, but it isn't our duty or obligation to educate them on their own rules.
This goes to consistency, again. In FBS, everybody knew, everywhere, every week, that the coin toss would be T-3. Never an issue. All pre-game activities were completed before the coin toss. As it should be.
UIL coaches may not trust their captains to make the right choices, if we have a bona fide coin toss at T-3. I understand that. Easy to fix, without tossing early. When we get the captains for the toss, ask them if they know what their coaches wants them to do, and run through the scenarios with them. If they seem confused, or say something wacky, then we find the HC (usually pretty close by) and simply verify with him that, if he wins or the other teams defers, he wants to receive (right, Coach?); or, which end of the field he wants to defend if he is to kick off. Today, everybody wants to receive or defer. Nobody wants to defend a goal or kick off, as the first option (because, if they do, they'll be doing that for the 3rd period kickoff, too). Then we do the coin toss and we don't let the captains screw up. Easy. And, oh yeah, when we verify the end of the field that a team chooses to defend, always confirm the end and the direction they'll be kicking, i.e., "You want to kick from that end...," (point to the end), "...kicking this way - right?" (then pointing in the direction they'll be kicking). If they agree, no problem. If they seem confused or disagree, then stop and clarify. Once everybody is happy, then have them place their backs to the goals they'll be defending and make your announcement. Don't let them screw up.
Note 1: In FBS, we'd ask the HCs their toss preferences during our coaches conferences. If we get rid of the conferences, easy enough to check with the captains (or coaches, if nearby) when we collect the captains for the toss.
Note 2: Years ago, some folks would actually CHOOSE to defend a particular goal (as the first option), due to wind and/or grass field conditions, etc. Not the least was Darrell Royal. Every time he played at Jones Stadium, before the buildings to the south of it were built, he wanted to defend the south end, because of the strong prevailing south wind. And this was back before EVERYBODY had a kicker that could put the ball into the end zone on virtually every kickoff. That would nearly guarantee great field position for at least that quarter.
And there have been instances when one team would choose to kick off (not just defend a goal - actually kick off), because they believed their defense was so good as to hold the opponent deep in their end of the field, also assuring great field position, first and third periods.
Robert