Let me think out loud, had the ball be in a side zone, and the relay between officials back to the hash mark had been dropped, kicked or otherwise delayed, wouldn't the white hat stop the clock, get the ball set on the ground and then started the clock? The officials in that instance screwed up the deal, they need to make it right. . Same reasoning in the game in question, stop clock, unpile, set ball, roll clock. Problem would have never happened and, the confusion at the pile could have been a quick fix, ball dead here, no fumble, a ball, clock rolls on my whistle. I don't see this as being that complicated