Substitutions

[ElvisLives]

AR 3–5-2-V explains the process for dealing with A rushing to snap the ball while making substitutions. It tells us the subsequent play clock is 25, and the game clock is to be as it was before the interruption. How about this sequence:

2/10, A-25, 1:40 (4), A=22, B=20, Team B has exhausted their timeouts. A11 advances to the A-30, inbounds. A80 departs the field into his team area. Now 3/5, A-30, Team A huddles with 10 players well behind the NZ. As the play clock reaches 25 seconds, substitute A88 enters the field from his team area, and joins the rest of Team A as they rush toward their line of scrimmage. As Team A quickly moves into a formation, substitute B21, reacting immediately,  enters the field from his team area, and player B29 begins to depart. Before B29 can exit the field, and before B21 can get into position, Team A has stopped in a legal formation for a full second, and snapper A55 begins the snap (with 20 seconds on the play clock).
The U/C/R recognize the attempt to snap the ball before B can complete its substitutions, and move to stop the action. After stopping the action with 1:12 on the game clock, the Referee announces that Team A did not allow Team B the opportunity to match up with substitutions, and it is still third down.
By AR 3-5-2-V, the game clock should start on the referee’s signal. By doing so, though, Team A gets a huge benefit by getting to burn 25 more seconds off the game clock, for doing something outside the rules.
As Referee, I believe I would invoke 3-4-3 and start the game clock on the snap.

[Kalle]

Well, they would gain only five seconds in this case (they could have run 20 seconds off the clock before snapping the ball), but I do agree that this is a pretty clear-cut case for rule 3-4-3.

[ElvisLives]

Well, they would gain only five seconds in this case (they could have run 20 seconds off the clock before snapping the ball), but I do agree that this is a pretty clear-cut case for rule 3-4-3.

Well, maybe my math isn't correct, but, in theory, they could run as much as 25 seconds off the game clock, and that could be two entire downs for Team B (if they get the ball back). And, a smart Team A might know that, and use the substitution process to try to burn those 25 seconds off the game clock.
We need to be good enough to catch this, and invoke 3-4-3, and start the game clock on the snap (IMHO).

[ElvisLives]

Well, they would gain only five seconds in this case (they could have run 20 seconds off the clock before snapping the ball), but I do agree that this is a pretty clear-cut case for rule 3-4-3.

Ah, I now see what you were saying. Had they chosen to, they could have burned 20 more seconds off the game clock under the original 40-second play clock count. Yeah, I get that, now.
But, let's say they wait until 10 on the play clock to start their hurried substitution, and the crew interrupts the game at 5 (or less) on the play clock. Then Team A would gain anywhere from 20 to 25 seconds on the game clock, if we start both on the referee's signal. Definitely need to invoke 3-4-3.

[ump_ben]

This almost (or did depending on your perspective *) happen with about 3:30 left in the 4th quarter of the BYU Utah game.  Clock was started on the snap. 

(* Since B didn't actually react promptly but instead intentionally delayed, I don't think the call was right here; the C never even tried to prevent the snap.  But that's neither here nor there to this discussion.)