Author Topic: Clock stop on a false start or offsides penalty?  (Read 953 times)

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AllIn21

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Clock stop on a false start or offsides penalty?
« on: September 22, 2020, 11:26:48 am »
If you draw the defense offsides does the clock reset and continue to run as if a play was run? Also, in the event of a false start, does the clock continue to run once the ball is set?

Lastly, what is the total clock from the moment the ball is set?

Thanks in advance

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Director of Officials

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Re: Clock stop on a false start or offsides penalty?
« Reply #1 on: September 22, 2020, 11:39:09 am »
It depends on what happened the previous play.  If the clock was already stopped due to a timeout, incomplete pass, run out of bounds then the clock would not start after a false start or encroachment.  If it was running when the infraction happened then it would be started again after the penalty was marked off and the official sets the ball ready for play. 

Only exceptions to this would be as the game gets closer to half time or end of game and the referee felt that the team was doing it on purpose to waste time - then he could make the ball ready for play and not start the clock (even though it was running when the infraction happened) 

INFC uses the 25 second play clock once the referee sets the ball ready for play - Mighty mite gets 35 seconds. 

AllIn21

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Re: Clock stop on a false start or offsides penalty?
« Reply #2 on: September 22, 2020, 11:47:57 am »
Ok that makes sense for a false start, although I would worry that an official wouldn't recognize that this was intentional for at least a play which that 25 seconds would be pretty valuable.  Seems like a little loophole that could be exploited.

What about drawing the defense offsides? Lets say we get a first down and the clock starts to run after the ball is set.  Then during the cadence the defense jumps offsides, does the clock reset to 25 seconds and continue to run just as before the penalty?

Director of Officials

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Re: Clock stop on a false start or offsides penalty?
« Reply #3 on: September 22, 2020, 01:29:27 pm »
Certainly possible - probably depends on the experience an officia(s)l may have. 
If the clock was already running and a defense encroaches the clock would start after the penalty was enforced and the referee sets the ball ready for play with a new 25 second play clock
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