Extended period - untimed down

An unusual ending to the first half in game 1 last weekend that really needed to have the captains thinking clearly about the choice of a penalty. It is not as simple to extend the half only if Team B are penalized. This can occur if Team A are penalised in certain situations such as the one below.

Team A had 5 men in the backfield and flag was thrown for a live ball foul. Team A completed a pass in the EZ for a score. Time expired during the down.

Team B had the choice of:
1. Decline the penalty, Team A score and end of the half.
2. Accept the penalty, Team A don't score but the down is replayed and the half is expended for an untimed down.

The key to this is by accepting the penalty enforcement the down is replayed, even to extend the half for an untimed down. You cannot accept the penalty and not replay the down.

Here is the rule:
Extension of Periods
ARTICLE 3. a. A period shall be extended for an untimed down (other than a try) if during a down in which time expires one or more of the following occurs (A.R. 3-2-3-I-VIII):
1. A penalty is accepted for a live-ball foul(s) not treated as a dead-ball foul (Exception: Rule 10-2-5-a). The period is not extended if the statement of the penalty includes loss of down (A.R. 3-2-3-IX).
2. There are offsetting fouls.
3. An official sounds his whistle inadvertently or otherwise incorrectly signals the ball dead.

So by reading the rule there is nothing to say that only Team B fouls extend a quarter. In fact if Team A are leading and time expires in a half on a Team B foul they don't have to accept the penalty and play another down. They could decline the penalty and the half ends. We cannot use the generic statement that a half cannot end on a Team B penalty. It can only end if the penalty is declined.

AR - Time expires during Team A’s run for a touchdown after A70 fouls at the snap or clips during the down. RULING: Penalty—Five yards from the previous spot for the foul at the snap or 15 yards for the clip. The 15-yard penalty is enforced from the previous spot if the clippingfoul occurs behind the neutral zone. The period is extended.

Quick question:
What if the same situation occurs at the end of the first or thrid quarter? Would you:
A. Accept the penalty and extend the quarter from the same end to replay the down.
B. Accept the penalty, change ends and then replay the down at the other end of the field and normal clock rules apply.
C. Decline the penalty to let Team A score and free kick for the new quarter after the extra point play.

Grant Martin
SAGOA

Sniping / Head-hunting

To follow up on week 3 last year we are making it clear that for a player to be blocked well away from the ball and out of the play is not to be done or when someone has relaxed and the ball has become dead.

We were told later that this wasn't called in other places and to hear this shocks me when it is a safety call. It is not on to take a shot at someone who is blindsided and well out of the play. One was called in game 1 and another close to being called in game 2 and the player warned about it.

From week 3 2009:
Most of the NCAA football anyone here ever sees is Div 1 and in Div 1 you rarely have "spectators" on the field, unlike our level where this is remarkably common. The objections are always along the lines of "if they're on the field they should be ready to get hit" and I understand where you are coming from and even agree to a point. The question our officials mentally ask to clarify is simply "was the block made in aid of the ball carrier / tackler or was it simply taking a shot?" If you are taking a shot at a player who has pulled up as they've realised the ball has become dead even if the whistle hasn't yet gone you will get flagged. Football is a collision sport and we do not want to remove the contact at all. Nowhere in any true football program is there a place for players who only want to fly around the field taking shots at people just because they can. That is not football, just thuggery.

25/40 sec clock

We are now using the 25/40 sec play clock as per the 2009-10 NCAA Rules. The basic rule of thumb is if the play stops for any sort of administration of the game then there is a 25 play sec clock. If the game is continuing along at its own volition then the 40 sec play clock will be in play. Even if a 1st down is awarded then between plays is still 40 secs.

This comes under Rule 3 of the rule book.

Returning the ball to an official

Last weekend of games showed up that without a close fence surrounding the field like we previously had that officials had to go and retrieve balls from well outside the field of play. It is not the job of the official to have to go and retrieve the ball in the game that you play, nor should it be the job of a ball person to retrieve a ball when you have been the closest player to it. If you think it is then it is your responsibility as a team to ensure the ball person is following along on the play, this rarely happens so it is the job of the player closest to retrieve the ball and return it to an official or to the ball person.

Page 123 of 2009-10 NCAA Rules state:
After a score or any other play, the player in possession immediately must return the ball to an official or leave it near the dead-ball spot. This prohibits:
(a) Kicking, throwing, spinning or carrying (including off of the field) the ball any distance that requires an official to retrieve it.
(b) Spiking the ball to the ground [Exception: A forward pass to conserve time (Rule 7-3-2-d)].
(c) Throwing the ball high into the air.
(d) Any other unsportsmanlike act or actions that delay the game.

So if you are a player who runs out of bounds carrying the ball it would be best to hand the ball to the official who is calling for it and is holding your spot. If your play ends in bounds an official will be coming to the dead ball spot so hand it to him or if you can't see them then leave the ball at that spot, but to drop it well out of the way of the official can delay getting the ball ready for play and/or may require the official to move from his spot and lose the place where you got up to. To drop it out of bounds and tell the official to get it or the ball person is unsportsmanlike, esp if those people have called for it 3 or 4 times.