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Football Officiating => NCAA Discussion => Topic started by: Official_21 on October 28, 2020, 06:19:55 AM
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I am a clock operator for HS football games in Texas, where we use NCAA rules.
I am wondering out of curiosity, what is the rationale behind setting the play clock to 40 seconds for a defensive injury/defensive player helmets comes off?
To me it would be counter productive, as wouldn't you want the clock on 25 seconds so it gives the offense less time to get a play off?
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The reason is that if team B is behind, they cannot benefit from faking an injury and having a 25 second play clock. The potential gain is 15 seconds, which is quite a bit at the end of the game.
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Firstly, remember that the play clock is governed by what stopped the game clock. If the ONLY reason for the game clock to stop is the injury or helmet off, then the play clock is governed by 3-3-9-b.
The primary reason for 40 seconds for a Team B injury/helmet off is to reduce the benefit to Team B for faking an injury. If the play clock were to be set to 25 after a Team B injury or helmet off, Team A would not get the benefit of the full 40 seconds they would normally have to make personnel changes, make a play call, etc., or simply let an additional 15 seconds run off the game clock, all as they would be able to do between downs in any other situation. If the interruption is no fault of their own, and in the absence of any other reason to interrupt the play clock, they should get the full 40-seconds to put the ball in play.
Otherwise the play clock is set to 25, as it would be for any other administrative stoppage. 25 seconds reduces the benefit to Team A for faking an injury.
In the event of a helmet off, in particular, game officials should get that player off the field immediately, and restart the clocks ASAP. Neither team should get the benefit of additional time to rest, make personnel changes, etc. For an injury, we simply have to allow the "injured" player to get off, or be removed from, the field at whatever pace is required.
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The reason is that if team B is behind, they cannot benefit from faking an injury and having a 25 second play clock. The potential gain is 15 seconds, which is quite a bit at the end of the game.
Firstly, remember that the play clock is governed by what stopped the game clock. If the ONLY reason for the game clock to stop is the injury or helmet off, then the play clock is governed by 3-3-9-b.
The primary reason for 40 seconds for a Team B injury/helmet off is to reduce the benefit to Team B for faking an injury. If the play clock were to be set to 25 after a Team B injury or helmet off, Team A would not get the benefit of the full 40 seconds they would normally have to make personnel changes, make a play call, etc., or simply let an additional 15 seconds run off the game clock, all as they would be able to do between downs in any other situation. If the interruption is no fault of their own, and in the absence of any other reason to interrupt the play clock, they should get the full 40-seconds to put the ball in play.
Otherwise the play clock is set to 25, as it would be for any other administrative stoppage. 25 seconds reduces the benefit to Team A for faking an injury.
In the event of a helmet off, in particular, game officials should get that player off the field immediately, and restart the clocks ASAP. Neither team should get the benefit of additional time to rest, make personnel changes, etc. For an injury, we simply have to allow the "injured" player to get off, or be removed from, the field at whatever pace is required.
Thank you both, as always.
Always enlightening to learn why things are done the way they are and to learn why rules were written the way they are, even if you are not an on field official :thumbup
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"If the ONLY reason for the game clock to stop is the injury or helmet off, then the play clock is governed by 3-3-9-b."
Be careful with this one...there are several instances where more the clock is stopped for more than one reason (such as penalty enforcement), and one of those reasons are a B helmet off and/or injury, and the PC is set to :40.
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Be careful with this one...there are several instances where more the clock is stopped for more than one reason (such as penalty enforcement), and one of those reasons are a B helmet off and/or injury, and the PC is set to :40.
What other instances there are apart from injuries and/or helmets' off for both teams, and media timeout?