Louisiana Lafayette vs Appalachian State

[jra104]

I coach HS ball in Texas and we use NCAA rules but was wondering if App state will be penalized or other discipline offered for this clear violation of the rules. 

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Legacy Zebra]

Not a chance, for multiple reasons.

For one, there’s no penalty to apply here. The rule says you can’t use ball drying or warming substances and you can’t have mechanical ball warming or drying devices near the sideline or in the team area. It doesn’t say you can’t use those devices. It just says they can’t be near the sideline or in the team area.

Two, there’s no penalty to apply. The rule book never gives a penalty statement for these rules.

Three, I would bet that this is a kicker warming up, which would mean it’s not a game ball. If it’s not a game ball you can do whatever you want with it because we’re not going to be playing with it anyway.

[JasonTX]

I would argue solely based on the image that this isn't a "clear violation".  Perhaps a ball rolled away from that player and he ran over there to retrieve it and at that point the picture was taken.    (sarcasm)



As far as NCAA goes, I am not sure what further steps they would take.

[ElvisLives]

As Legacy notes, there is no penalty for having equipment in the team area or near the sideline (which, IMHO, we should interpret as being within the limit lines). But, if a team brought to my attention that their opponent had such equipment in the their team area or near the sidelines, I would instruct the opponent to remove such equipment from the team area, or from within the limit lines. If they comply, that's the end of it. I would not continue the game until they remove such equipment from within the limit lines (12' off the sideline), including within the team area, as any type of equipment like that within the limit would clearly be a safety hazard, and we are obligated to have game management resolve all such safety issues.
For NCAA, I would be obliged to notify my coordinator. As for high school, depending on the level of cooperation from the opponent, I might feel the need to notify the governing body for the school (such as the UIL in Texas). If I could determine that they were using the equipment on approved game balls, I might also consider de-approving those game balls that I witnessed being affected by such equipment.

I would hope for immediate compliance, and we just move on.

[HLinNC]

That's a propane heater, commonly used on constuction sites and has been on football sidelines for generations. 

From the NCAA D1 Football championship manual:

SIDELINE HEATERS/COOLING FANS In the event of extreme temperatures, host institutions should provide sideline heaters/cooling fans for both teams. The cost of renting the heaters/fans can be included as a budgeted expense.  If the visiting institution chooses to rent its own heating/cooling equipment, the host institution is no longer expected to provide such equipment for the visiting team.

[ElvisLives]

That's a propane heater, commonly used on constuction sites and has been on football sidelines for generations. 

From the NCAA D1 Football championship manual:

Still gotta be at least 12' off the sideline, which is the back of the coaches box, and I have yet to see a heater in the coaches box, even though the coaches don't really use their box much. 

[HLinNC]

Isn't that big white thing behind him the bench?

This is a big nothing.

[jra104]

Here is a video with audio as the sideline reporter outs them...
https://youtu.be/Ndok-DhA-aA

I just think the rule might be outdated and time to adjust it. 

[HLinNC]

Here is a video with audio as the sideline reporter outs them...

Just take the "L".

[jra104]

Just take the "L".

I really don't have a dog in the fight.  LSU fan.
But I know a lot of HS teams in Texas use warming blankets on the sideline to keep balls warm.  No one ever says anything but seeing it live and a team admitting to it makes me wonder how the NCAA deals with that.  As I said before, I think the rule is antiquated. 

[Etref]

Yes keeping your balls warm in cold weather is essential.

      

[zebra41]

Texas? Cold? Heater? It doesn't get below 60 Degrees in Texas. Right???

 

[Etref]

Depends on what part of Texas. I (and am sure Elvis and Jason) have worked many games in the snow, ice storms, etc. in the Texas Panhandle.

[ElvisLives]

Started snowing in Springlake-Earth mid-afternoon. 4" of snow on the ground at 7:00 kickoff. School made an attempt to clear the yard/side lines, but they got re-buried as snow continued to fall. Mid-3rd period, 3rd down, home team BC gets tackled in the general area of the line-to-gain. I took a look, and the best I could tell without good lines, it appears to be short of the LTG, so I ruled 4th down. Home coach requests a measurement. OK, we'll see what we can do. We kicked around in the snow for a few minutes, trying to find a yard line to set the chains on. Couldn't find one. Told coach we couldn't measure. He insisted he had a right to a measurement. I told him we'd be glad to measure, if he could tell us how. He thought for a second, then shouted, "Puntin' team!."

So cold at Dick Bivins (Amarillo) one night (pre-plastic grass), the two inch layer of snow didn't melt - not one flake. The only good news was that the 2" layer of snow acted as a very nice cushion on a normally hard and rough grass (dirt) field. And our feet stayed dry, because it was so cold.

Ice storm blew in from the north all night long at Brownfield. Really hated it when we were heading' north.

Need any more true stories?

[JasonTX]

Depends on what part of Texas. I (and am sure Elvis and Jason) have worked many games in the snow, ice storms, etc. in the Texas Panhandle.

Some of the coldest games I have worked came during baseball season.  3rd week of May and it was 85 during the day.  The rumor was a cold front was going to blow in.  Even living here most of my life I thought a cold front at that time of year meant that it would get down to 75.  2nd inning and the wind picked up and it dropped down to around 20 and it started icing.  At that point both coaches told me that every single pitch should be called a strike.  We made it to the 3rd inning when both teams said the game was over.  There was no objection.

[dammitbobby]

I graduated from Dalhart many years ago, I can recall one Thur night JV game vs Fritch tha the kickoff temp was 4 degrees.  It stung, hitting in that cold.  Neither team wanted to win, or be out there.

I also recall snow flurries in September.

[Covid 22]

I was scheduled to call a 2013 TAPPS state championship in Corsicana when the “Icemageddon” hit.  61 hours below freezing (I know this is nothing compared to when I lived in Missouri) and almost 4" of ice.   I went to Academy on Thursday and bought everything they had that looked warm.  About noon they postponed the game.  Rescheduled to Tuesday.  The low for Tuesday was 20 and projected high of 34.  I hadn't been feeling well and went to the doctor that morning (Afib).  It wasn't my first or last state championship but I had a great crew and hated to miss the game.

[Etref]

I graduated from Dalhart many years ago, I can recall one Thur night JV game vs Fritch tha the kickoff temp was 4 degrees.  It stung, hitting in that cold.  Neither team wanted to win, or be out there.

I also recall snow flurries in September.

Worked a game in Dalhart and it had snowed 6-8”. The used a tractor with a box blade and scraped the field but left the snow piled about 10’ from the field. It then sleeted and we had an ice skating rink

[Grant - AR]

Yes keeping your balls warm in cold weather is essential.