September 1, 2015

To:Current Officiating Staff

“The ORGANIZATION”

RE:In Season Bulletin 15-02

This is the second of the two bulletins for this week.

Play Clock

As discussed at the clinic this is going to be a growing process with plenty of bumps along the way. Everyone will need to know the basic status of when the play clock should be at 40 or 25 because the coaches will probably have numerous questions during the game.

SJ and FJ you will need to be very diligent with the game clock status. As seen at the clinic and experienced at a few of the scrimmages, the devices that were handed to the BJ’s in some instances are the size of books and were never intended to be used on the field. The BJ’s will have a challenge the first few games getting the feel for the play clock device. I suspect the BJ’s will be “outside the box” as they work the play clock and may not be able to incorporate some segments of the dead ball procedures in the past.

SJ and FJ the same concern goes for the recognition of Team A subs and counting Team B players, you will need to be extremely diligent, especially in no huddle offenses.

Along those same lines BJ’s you will need to alter some of their procedures, especially as the down ends. As you work to get the feel for operating the device, you may not be able to give “stop the clock” signals, or move as quickly (but still me moving) toward the dead ball spot as before.

R’s you will also have to rely on the LJ and SJ for game clock status more as the BJ may not be available at the critical point you might ready to address the game clock status.

At the end of this bulletin is a copy of the play clock information sent to the Athletic Directors/Game Day Administrators to be forwarded to their play clock operators.

Play Clock is Inoperable

If the play clock becomes inoperable, the BJ will keep the timing of the play clock on their watch. If this occurs, the BJ will give the following physical signals;

  • When there is 10 seconds remaining (right arm straight overhead – the “dead ball signal”)
  • At 5 seconds remaining (right arm straight outward from the body shoulder height)
  • We will not give a physical signal “counting down” the last five seconds, and
  • We will use this process regardless if the play clock is on a 40 or 25 count.

BJ Report

A final note regarding play clocks: BJ IF you operated the play clock on the field, I would appreciate that you forward an email on Sunday with the following information. My goal is to combine the information into a file and forward to all BJ so that anyone who has a game assignment at a school where the play clock is administered by the BJ, we will have a “reference guide”.

The information I would appreciate is the following:

  1. Game Location;
  2. Model Name or Manufacturer of the remote unit;
  3. Did the device fit on belt or was hand held;
  4. the steps required (buttons pushed) to start the countdown, how to reset, and how to reset to 25 when required,
  5. comments of suggestions

Sideline Administration

One of the points of emphasis continues to be side administration/control. Side officials you will need to work hard getting the team in the “box” and coaches out of the white area. Three key points to remember:

  1. If you physically contact a coach or other team personnel “in the white” during the play, it is an automatic 15 yard penalty enforced from the subsequent spot. If the foul occurs against Team B, and automatic first down goes with it.
  2. If you are physically restricted from completing your dead ball tasks such as getting to the spot, seeing the action out of bounds, getting to players in the bench area as the result of physical contact, it is an automatic 15 yard penalty enforced from the subsequent spot. Automatic first down if by Team B.
  3. If players or coaches continue to “crowd” the white or are in the white, you now have the added tool of simply giving the offending team a warning.
  4. If a warning occurs, there will NOT be a penalty flag, simply a stoppage and announcement by R.

Also be sensitive to when you give a warning to get the most impact from the warning and to avoid stopping the momentum of the game. Some examples include:

  1. If you want to give a warning after a long touchdown run, have the referee give the warning after the PAT when you are back with the team and head coach. This will have more impact than giving the warning after the TD and prior to the PAT when no one is near the team or bench area.
  2. Try to pick a moment when there is a lull in the action due to a stoppage for an incomplete pass, runner OB, media timeout etc.
  3. Avoid a situation such as Team A runs a play, has 2nd and 5, and the Team sprints right to the line to run the next play. By stopping the game to give a warning disrupts the flow of the game.
  4. Inside the last two minutes of either half with the game clock running, stopping the clock and game to give a warning.

Game Pace

With the first game of the season and with the hot weather, it is very easy for the officials to lose control of the pace of the game. Let’s set a goal of a 3 hour football game. Please review the section in the Supplemental Guidelines related to Speeding Up the Game and let’s focus on this to insure we have the best paced game possible.

Ten Second Reduction (Run-Off)

We have distributed a phalanx of material to you over the last four months regarding this situation. There are two key segments related to this:

The rule – what factors must be in place before a Ten Second Reduction can occur – EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW THESE BY HEART.

The procedure – if you have this situation, proper communication by the deep side officials with the coach outlining:

  1. The offended team’s options;
  2. Status of the game clock depending on the option chosen;
  3. Communicating what option the offended team has chosen;
  4. If the Ten Second Reduction is chosen, does the opposing coach want to negate the reduction by using a charged time out?

If the FJ/SJ handle this correctly, it will minimize the amount of time the R will be required to spend running from sideline to sideline.

Summary

It has been a long offseason of meetings, tests and bulletins, now we have 10 weekends of football to ply our craft and simply enjoy our avocation. Dan and I appreciate the effort of everyone to get to this point, and we feel potentially this maybe the strongest group we have ever had. Enjoy the season.

It is now ‘show time’ so let’s have some fun and simply kick some tail every week!

The following is the information sent to AD/Game Day Administrators regarding the play clock

40/25 Second Play Clock

Game Day Instructions

SECTION A. Process

Probably the most consistent as well as easiest procedure is to have the Operator set the PLAY CLOCK at 40 when the proper signal (see #3 below) is given by an official to end the down.

If the GAME CLOCK and flow of the game has stopped for an administrative situation,(see Section C. Administrative Stoppage below) then the Operator can stop the advance of the PLAY CLOCK and reset the PLAY CLOCK to 25 seconds. If this occurs the PLAY CLOCK will then start on the referee’s signal.

In this summary reference to the “Operator” is whoever is running the clock, whether the BJ on the field or a timer in the booth.

  1. The Operator must always set and start the play clock consistently throughout the game.
  2. Ideally we would have the play clock set and running within 1 second after the game official(s) declare the ball dead and the down ended.
  3. The Operator must be aware of the signals which end the down including:

a)Raised arm held directly over the head by the closest or covering official;

b)Incomplete signal;

c)Stop the clock signal;

d)Wind the clock signal (when play end near the sideline)

After clear recognition of any of these signals, the 40 second play clock should be set and begin running within the 1 second window above.

SECTION B. PLAY CLOCK - Separate Operation From GAME CLOCK

There are game situations where the GAME CLOCK will be stopped by rule, but the PLAY CLOCK will be set at 40 and begin to run immediately after the down has ended. These situations include:

  1. Team A is tackled inbounds beyond the line to gain. The GAME CLOCK will stop to move the chains, but the 40 second PLAY CLOCK will be set and proceed after the down ends as in any other down.
  2. Team A’s runner goes out of bounds. The GAME CLOCK will be stopped by the “stop the clock signal”, but upon completion of the “stop the clock signal” the 40 second PLAY CLOCK will be set when the down ends and will proceed.
  3. Team A’s runner fumbles the ball forward out of bounds. The 40 second PLAY CLOCK is treated in the same manner as a Team A runner going out of bounds.
  4. Team A’s legal forward pass is incomplete. The GAME CLOCK will be stopped and will not start until the next snap, but the 40 second PLAY CLOCK begins to run immediately after the incomplete signal.

SECTION C. Administrative Stoppage

For each of the instances in A through L below the GAME CLOCK and game action must be stopped by the official(s) using the “stop the clock” signal. If the game and GAME CLOCK have been stopped for one of the items below, then the PLAY CLOCK will be reset to 25 seconds. The 25 second play clock will then start ONLY with the referee’s ready for play signal.

Game situations which are considered administrative stoppage include:

  1. To administer a penalty;
  2. A charged team time out is taken;
  3. The chains are brought on the field to measure for a first down;
  4. The down ends with a change in team possession (interception, fumble recovery, kick play);
  5. Try for point after a touchdown;
  6. Start of a new period;
  7. The first play of each series in overtime;
  8. Free kick after a score (touchdown, successful field goal, or safety);
  9. Offensive team’s helmet comes off;
  10. Injury to offensive team player;
  11. Media timeout;
  12. Administrative stoppage (equipment becomes illegal, clock malfunction or reset, chains become broken, certain situations related to 10 second run off rules)

If the referee (“white hat”) wants the play clock reset, he will pump one hand/arm vertically over his head. Adjustments to the PLAY CLOCK are solely the responsibility and authority of the referee.