Timing Situation

[JasonTX]

I had a situation that came up today in a JV game in Texas (no 10 second subtraction due to High School exception)

3rd and 10 with :51 seconds to go in the half, team A is leading 20-0.  The game clock is running when team A commits a false start.  They were rushing out of the huddle to snap the ball and not all players got set, so I shut it down and correctly penalized them for false start. 

This, to me was a gray area.  If I start it on the ready, it penalizes team B by eating up the time.  If I start it on the snap it benefits team A by giving them extra time. 

So, I just resumed the clock to what it was doing prior to the foul. 

[El Macman]

I had a situation that came up today in a JV game in Texas (no 10 second subtraction due to High School exception)

3rd and 10 with :51 seconds to go in the half, team A is leading 20-0.  The game clock is running when team A commits a false start.  They were rushing out of the huddle to snap the ball and not all players got set, so I shut it down and correctly penalized them for false start. 

This, to me was a gray area.  If I start it on the ready, it penalizes team B by eating up the time.  If I start it on the snap it benefits team A by giving them extra time. 

So, I just resumed the clock to what it was doing prior to the foul.

Not sure what you mean by you "resumed the clock to what it was doing prior to the foul." Game clock? By rule, the play clock should be 25. That shouldn't be the issue. The game clock would normally start on the RFP, but, in this case, you are more than justified in starting the game clock on the snap. If Team A is in total control of the game, and starting the game clock on the snap would just prolong a one-sided situation, by all means start it on the RFP. But, in a competitive game, the greater evil is to allow Team A to consume time by an illegal act. In such a case, start the game clock on the snap.

[TXMike]

This was the 1st half right?  Sounds like A was trying to use the little time left to score again before half time.  In that scenario  I think i would start on the RFP.  As you mentioned , in the "real" rules we would have given B the 10 sec option also so perhaps you could ask the Team B coach if he wants it on the RFP or snap here.  But that process is going to give A even more time to get their wits about them so maybe just go on the RFP.

[JasonTX]

Not sure what you mean by you "resumed the clock to what it was doing prior to the foul." Game clock?

Prior to the false start the game clock was running.  After the penalty I started the game clock on the ready.

[El Macman]

Prior to the false start the game clock was running.  After the penalty I started the game clock on the ready.

If Team A was in complete control of the game, I think that was the best choice.