2011 NCAA Rule Changes Explained

[El Macman]

Two other wrinkles.

Suppose the quarterback throws his illegal pass with 1:01 remaining, but it doesn't fall incomplete until 0:59. Does the 10-second runoff apply? If not, whose call is that? Current mechanics - I dryly note - do not specify which official should be watching the game clock while the ball is live. Would this be reviewable?

What if a foul causes the clock to stop in conjunction with another foul? 3rd and 1 at the A-30. QB A11 runs back and forth looking for receivers. He gives up and spikes the ball (forward) at the A-28. 0:55 remains in the 4th quarter. During the down, receiver A88 illegally blocked below the waist at the A-34. Can Team B have both the 15 yards and the 10-second runoff? Or must they accept the IG if they want the runoff?

Good questions. I'm sure it will be the time on the clock at the end of the play that dictates. If the QB wants to end the play illegally without the risk of the 10-second runoff, he'll have to get it done before 0:59 (2nd or 4th periods).
As I read the current wording, by declining the penalty, they also decline the time runoff. So, yes, they'd have to decline the BBW and accept the ING (or IFP) to get the runoff.
That's how I read it, today.  The "good news" is that it will be easier for the QB to end the play legally, since he just has to get the ball "in the area" of an eligible receiver. So this specific play will be less common.

[Atlanta Blue]

I'm sure it will be the time on the clock at the end of the play that dictates.

IF (and I have no idea if it will be) it is like the NFL, the exact opposite is true: it's the time at the START of the play that determines what rules are in effect.  This makes it much easier to officiate, as which official is assigned to be watching the clock DURING the play?

With a rule like this, the NCAA is on it's way to a two minute warning, where rules such as this go into effect.

[Andrew McCarthy]

IF (and I have no idea if it will be) it is like the NFL, the exact opposite is true: it's the time at the START of the play that determines what rules are in effect.  This makes it much easier to officiate, as which official is assigned to be watching the clock DURING the play?

With a rule like this, the NCAA is on it's way to a two minute warning, where rules such as this go into effect.

It's easier to go by the time at the end of the play- it's displayed on the scoreboard.

[El Macman]

IF (and I have no idea if it will be) it is like the NFL, the exact opposite is true: it's the time at the START of the play that determines what rules are in effect.  This makes it much easier to officiate, as which official is assigned to be watching the clock DURING the play?

But a 2-minute warning won't help us with a rule that doesn't become effective until less than 1-minute. I don't think we should have somebody watching the game clock when the snap is imminent. Mechanics aside, I don't believe it is fair to allow a player to illegally stop the clock at 0:55 without suffering the time runoff when the play started at 1:01, yet we'd have to impose the runoff if the play started at 0:59.
My Monopoly money is on the time at the end of the play. 

[Atlanta Blue]

But a 2-minute warning won't help us with a rule that doesn't become effective until less than 1-minute. I don't think we should have somebody watching the game clock when the snap is imminent. 

Which is why I said the NCAA may well be on the way to a 2 minute warning, or something like it.

In the NFL, the 2:00 warning isn't just another TV time out.  The officials meet to make sure all agree on TO's, etc. and to let the teams know that certain rules now go into effect.  They don't go into effect until AFTER the 2:00 warning.  If the play starts at 2:01, and ends at 1:52, a foul that would have a ten second runoff does NOT get run off because at the time the play started, those rules weren't yet in effect.  The issue of someone watching the clock at the snap isn't an issue because the clock is always stopped when these rules go into effect.

The NCAA may well be different.  I think they will find over time that if they are going to have a ten second run off rule, it might be better to do it in the last two minutes, not just the last minute.  They may do it based on the clock at the end of the play, although that doesn't feel right either for a foul that was committed at 1:01, but the clock didn't stop until 0:59.  It wasn't a runoff when he committed the foul, but only became one because of when the play ended.

[Andrew McCarthy]

They may do it based on the clock at the end of the play, although that doesn't feel right either for a foul that was committed at 1:01, but the clock didn't stop until 0:59.  It wasn't a runoff when he committed the foul, but only became one because of when the play ended.

That foul didn't cause the clock to stop so we wouldn't run off 10 seconds anyway.

[Atlanta Blue]

That foul didn't cause the clock to stop so we wouldn't run off 10 seconds anyway.

Just to make sure we are on the same play:

QB crosses the NZ, sees he is about to be tackled inbounds, he has no time outs remaining, so he throws an incomplete Illegal Forward Pass (or one complete in the end zone).

There are those that are saying that this foul was committed with the intent of stopping the clock illegally, and therefore the runoff should apply.

I agree, the FOUL did not stop the clock, but the result of the play stopped it.  And while that's true, the intent of the foul was certainly to stop the clock.

I hope the NCAA is as specific as the NFL, and makes judgment of intent less of an issue.  The NFL lists the specific fouls which cause a runoff:

(a) a foul by either team that prevents the snap (i.e., false start, encroachment, etc.)
(b) intentional grounding;
(c) an illegal forward pass thrown from beyond the line of scrimmage;
(d) throwing a backward pass out of bounds;
(e) spiking or throwing the ball in the field of play after a down has ended, except after
a touchdown; or
(f) any other intentional foul that causes the clock to stop


Ironically, none of those would have caused a ten second runoff in the Music City Bowl, which was the final straw in getting this issue to the table.

[TXMike]

I have said it twice and will say so again....this change would have helped in the Music City Bowl. The foul was for 12 in the formation which SHOULD have caused clock to stop. The runoff would have ended the game then and there. 

[Andrew McCarthy]

Just to make sure we are on the same play.

I was on your play where you said the guy fouled at 1:01 and the play ended at 0:59.

[Atlanta Blue]

I have said it twice and will say so again....this change would have helped in the Music City Bowl. The foul was for 12 in the formation which SHOULD have caused clock to stop. The runoff would have ended the game then and there. 

An INTENTIONAL foul that causes the clock to stop.

It is patently clear that there was nothing intentional about that foul.  The kicking team thought they were coming on the field, the QB thought they were spiking the ball.  And while the foul SHOULD have stopped the clock, it didn't, the spike stopped the clock.

[TXMike]

We know what the intent of this rule change  is and on that, this IS a runoff situation.

[JasonTX]

An INTENTIONAL foul that causes the clock to stop.

It is patently clear that there was nothing intentional about that foul.  The kicking team thought they were coming on the field, the QB thought they were spiking the ball.  And while the foul SHOULD have stopped the clock, it didn't, the spike stopped the clock.

Also, with the change that could help in this play was the one regarding all 11 players not coming to a 1 sec pause at some point prior to the snap.  If that happens, it is now a false start and under 1:00 would be a 10 sec. runoff.  I don't recall if all of them came to a stop, but some were running off so it's possible we should be shutting this down as well.

[ref6983]

An INTENTIONAL foul that causes the clock to stop.

It is patently clear that there was nothing intentional about that foul.  The kicking team thought they were coming on the field, the QB thought they were spiking the ball.  And while the foul SHOULD have stopped the clock, it didn't, the spike stopped the clock.

*Any* foul under 1 minute with the clock running that prevents the snap will include a 10 second run-off assuming it's not declined or the offense doesn't use a timeout.

Had the officials killed the play prior to the snap for 12 players in formation in the Music City Bowl, then it would indeed have invoked a 10 second runoff. Since they ruled illegal substitution, then the ball did become live and there would have been no 10 second runoff.

Other not-so-obvious fouls that could create a 10 second runoff:

12 men in the huddle
An unsportsmanlike foul during the dead ball period with the clock running (player spikes the ball).

Note: The NFL 2 minute warning is irrelevant with respect to fouls that create a 10 second runoff. It is relevant with respect to injuries after the two minute warning with the clock running.

Also, the time on the game clock when the pre-snap foul occurs or the time on the clock when the ball becomes dead when ING or IFP occur during the play will be used to determine whether a 10 second runoff applies.

[El Macman]

*Any* foul under 1 minute with the clock running that prevents the snap will include a 10 second run-off assuming it's not declined or the offense doesn't use a timeout.

Had the officials killed the play prior to the snap for 12 players in formation in the Music City Bowl, then it would indeed have invoked a 10 second runoff. Since they ruled illegal substitution, then the ball did become live and there would have been no 10 second runoff.

Other not-so-obvious fouls that could create a 10 second runoff:

12 men in the huddle
An unsportsmanlike foul during the dead ball period with the clock running (player spikes the ball).

Note: The NFL 2 minute warning is irrelevant with respect to fouls that create a 10 second runoff. It is relevant with respect to injuries after the two minute warning with the clock running.

Also, the time on the game clock when the pre-snap foul occurs or the time on the clock when the ball becomes dead when ING or IFP occur during the play will be used to determine whether a 10 second runoff applies.

I am on your page.

[TXMike]

An INTENTIONAL foul that causes the clock to stop.

It is patently clear that there was nothing intentional about that foul.  The kicking team thought they were coming on the field, the QB thought they were spiking the ball.  And while the foul SHOULD have stopped the clock, it didn't, the spike stopped the clock.

Actually what happened was that "time expired"   IR stepped in to review and then reported there should be 1 second left but they also picked up that there were 12 in the fomation and that newly identified foul was enforced.  Since they discovered that they could have esily justified, under the new rule, the runoff.

It is clear from Redding's statement, the rule change is supposed to apply to the Music City Bowl situation:

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/feb/13/new-rule-from-vols-misfortune/?print

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2011/02/colleges-going-to-10-second-runoff-rule-for-penalty-at-end-of-halves-like-nfl/1

[Atlanta Blue]

Based on what you have presented here, you have supported your case that the intent of the rule means it should have applied to the Music City Bowl.

But I'm not sure the actual wording of the rule supports that position.  Look at the list in the rule:

(a) Any foul that prevents the snap (e.g., false start, encroachment, defensive offside by contact in the neutral zone, etc.);
          - The UNC foul didn't prevent the snap, they snapped the ball
(b) Intentional grounding to stop the clock;
          - Not applicable
(c) Illegal forward pass thrown from beyond the neutral zone;
         - Not applicable
(d) Backward pass thrown out of bounds to stop the clock;
          - Not applicable
(e) Any other foul committed with the intent of stopping the clock.
          - The foul wasn't made with the intent of stopping the clock

So if the purpose of the rule was to create a 10 second runoff here, the rule needs rewriting.  An example given of a foul that would not cause a runoff was an Illegal Formation, because it doesn't stop the clock.  In this case, there was not a foul that stopped the clock, the spiked ball stopped the clock, and the flag came because there were still more than 12 men on the field during the play.

I know, IR then reviewed the play.  But their ability to overrule the call is limited to the number of men on the field during a LIVE ball.  They cannot rule they play should have been shut down prior to the snap for 12 men, they can only rule on how many were there during the live ball.  Since the ball was live, the incomplete pass stopped the clock, not the foul, and this play falls into the same category as the Illegal Formation foul that does NOT get a 10 second runoff.

So to say, “IR says the play SHOULD have been shut down for a foul” doesn’t matter, IR can’t make that ruling.

There is an easy answer here:  if the offense (without a timeout) commits a foul in the last minute of a half while the clock was running, there will be a 10 second runoff, period.

Look, I’m not arguing about what SHOULD have happened, or, given the proof you showed, what their intent was.  I’m just showing there is a logical argument that says they didn’t fix that specific example with this rule.

[El Macman]

I see a dilemma.
1/10, B-30, A=20, B=21, clock running, A has exhausted their T/Os. Team A has 12 guys on the field for more than 3 three seconds, so the crew properly shuts it down with 0:09 (4th) on the game clock, and penalizes A for Illegal Substitution, and announces game over. Ouch.

Lets say the crew didn't get 'em counted before the snap, or they weren't out there more than 3 seconds before the snap, and A11 throws complete to A88 at the B-1 (down in the field of play), 0:09 (4th). Penalize, but no run off, clock starts on ready. During penalty enforcement, A gets their FG team on, snaps at 0:02, kicks successful FG, wins.

No difference in what Team A did, but very different outcomes.

Of course, this assumes that a substitution foul will qualify as "intent to stop the clock." Maybe it won't.

What's a zebra to do?

[Atlanta Blue]

El Mackman:

Your later case is essentially what happened in the Music City Bowl.  The officials called a live ball foul that did not cause the clock to stop.  Under the wording of the rule, no runoff.  Under the Rogers comments that TxMike has posted, he's saying it should be a runoff.  And that is my dilemma: what Rogers has said, and what the rule says aren't the same thing, and the Music City play and the play you posted show that.

[El Macman]

It is all stil very fuzzy, so I'm not really arguing with anybody on this. But, the story was full of errors, so I'm not putting much stock in it.

Example:
"Under the proposed change, if an offensive team commits a penalty that stops the clock (generally false-start, illegal-substitution, illegal-participation or illegal-formation penalties),..."

Since when does an illegal formation stop the clock? Or illegal participation?

Indeed, it would be nice if they just declared that ANY penalty with less then some amount of time remaining (I say 30-seconds - 1 minute is not that "critical") would qualify. Take all judgment or 'procedural' questions out of it. Teams will know they will have to be 'clean' to get a play off successfully in the last "x" amount of time. That would work better, IMHO. I doubt I'll be consulted, though.