Why do the officials raise their hand when the play is over?

[Sroberts9337]

In the NFL and NCAA, why does the covering official raise his hand when the play has finished?

The only thing I can think of is for film/replay reasons. Maybe if they have an inadvertent whistle.

[TexDoc]

To indicate that the play is over and to start the 40 second play clock.

[bossman72]

Even though it's not an NFHS mechanic, I like using it there.  It makes it look like you've made a ruling on your spot.  This is especially true at the goal line.

[dcbarisax1]

We raise our hands to signal our other officials that the dead ball period has started.  It also helps our U find us in the gaggle of bodies.

[bbeagle]

Even though it's not an NFHS mechanic, I like using it there.  It makes it look like you've made a ruling on your spot.  This is especially true at the goal line.

Agreed.

However, when I have something like a 3rd down play which is 1/2 yard short of the goal line, I rush in, and put one hand up with a fist to signal 'fourth down'.

Without that hand up and just running in, everyone thinks you haven't ruled yet and is waiting for a touchdown signal. When none comes, they don't think you know what happened.

Most of our signals are done for the coaches and crowd. When we forget this, we look awful on the field.

[VALJ]

For me, working NFHS, the simple and slightly smart-aleck response is "because our mechanics say that's what we do." 

In practice, I look at it as showing everyone "here's where the play ended."  Nothing more.  All I do is mark the spot of the ball.  If it's clearly short in bbeagle's situation, I'm tellng the R "fourth down".  If it's at all close, I'm telling my R to "take a look" so he can feel like he's actually doing something.   

[bossman72]

Agreed.

However, when I have something like a 3rd down play which is 1/2 yard short of the goal line, I rush in, and put one hand up with a fist to signal 'fourth down'.

Without that hand up and just running in, everyone thinks you haven't ruled yet and is waiting for a touchdown signal. When none comes, they don't think you know what happened.

Most of our signals are done for the coaches and crowd. When we forget this, we look awful on the field.

Right, this is how I get around the mechanic in NFHS.  I raise my hand and give the down.  It's technically not the dead ball signal, so I am compliant

[Magician]

The commissioner for football in Indiana wants to move to a 40-second clock and hopes to be an experimental state in 2016. In preparation we were asked to use the raised hand mechanic this year. I'm a big fan of it. The biggest help has been for the wings to know the umpire has the ball down since he's unlikely to blow his whistle on our crew. They can then safely rule the play has ended by blowing their whistles.

[HLinNC]

Will Indiana require all schools to have play clocks?

[Welpe]

The commissioner for football in Indiana wants to move to a 40-second clock and hopes to be an experimental state in 2016. In preparation we were asked to use the raised hand mechanic this year. I'm a big fan of it. The biggest help has been for the wings to know the umpire has the ball down since he's unlikely to blow his whistle on our crew. They can then safely rule the play has ended by blowing their whistles.

The NFHS may need to add an inadvertent signal to the IW rule like NCAA.

I hadn't heard that before about Indiana. I like the 40 second clock quite a bit so I'm hoping they can get approval to run the experiment.

[Magician]

Will Indiana require all schools to have play clocks?

I'm not sure but in 15 seasons I've never worked a game without a visible play clock. It's my understanding there are some without one though.

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk

[Kalle]

I'm not sure but in 15 seasons I've never worked a game without a visible play clock. It's my understanding there are some without one though.

You don't need a visible play clock to effectively run a 40/25 second clock. We do that all the time here in Finland, and it is not that difficult.

[AlUpstateNY]

I'm not sure but in 15 seasons I've never worked a game without a visible play clock. It's my understanding there are some without one though.

There's absolutely no doubt, equipping mouse traps with nuclear warheads will effectively eliminate any, and all, mouse problems, but whether that solution is worth the collateral damages is highly questionable.

Do we need a "Play Clock" at the High School level?  If the idea is to contain the length of actual playing time, is there better, more practical, simpler ways to deal with that issue (just as, if not more, effectively)?

Technology, applied for a beneficial reason, can be helpful.  Technology applied, for the pure sake of having the latest and greatest or "being like the pros" is silly.

[bossman72]

You don't need a visible play clock to effectively run a 40/25 second clock. We do that all the time here in Finland, and it is not that difficult.

AGREE!  Not sure why everyone is so hung up on visible play clocks for the 40/25...

[Welpe]

You don't need a visible play clock to effectively run a 40/25 second clock. We do that all the time here in Finland, and it is not that difficult.

Agreed also. Texas runs it like that play clock or not. Is it easier with a visible play clock? Sure but it's quite doable without one.

[VALJ]

But I'd have to buy a new Ready-Ref! I just got it last year! 

[Johnponz]

They are raising their hands to ask the R if they can leave the field for a bathroom break.  It is a left over mechanic from elementary school days.

[TxSkyBolt]

Readt ref can be upgraded to 25/40


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[VALJ]

Can it be "upgraded", or will I need to buy a new one?

I'm not opposed to the idea in theory...

[Cowman52]

In the dark ages of tape with no sound,   that was the only way to the play was over. 

[theunofficialofficial]

In the dark ages of tape with no sound,   that was the only way to the play was over.

You get tape with sound? Even though we use hudl 99% of all video we get here is still silent films. One one or two schools give us talkies! I have to put on music or something on when I watch my tapes.

[Kalle]

You get tape with sound? Even though we use hudl 99% of all video we get here is still silent films. One one or two schools give us talkies! I have to put on music or something on when I watch my tapes.

Same here... I think the (good) reason for that is that the teams don't want to let other teams watching the film to hear their signals. Very annoying for us officials, though.

[HLinNC]

Back in the days of VHS & DVD copies, sound was quite frequent and sometimes annoying.  The band, kids sitting too close to the mic, crowd noise in general, I don't recall even paying attention to hear a whistle.  With HUDL, it is rare to get one with audio.  The one time I learned we had one was in a local meeting when I was trying to watch a clip on my HUDL app on my phone.  Quite to my surprise the sound of a crowd reverberated around the room

[bossman72]

Back in the days of VHS & DVD copies, sound was quite frequent and sometimes annoying.  The band, kids sitting too close to the mic, crowd noise in general, I don't recall even paying attention to hear a whistle.  With HUDL, it is rare to get one with audio.  The one time I learned we had one was in a local meeting when I was trying to watch a clip on my HUDL app on my phone.  Quite to my surprise the sound of a crowd reverberated around the room

I usually mute the sound when watching film for the above reasons.  The background noise is too annoying, especially when I rewind the play 15 times