Does Clock Stop After False Start Or Delay Of Game?

[g2ghiking]

In last night's Webb-ECS game, ECS had the ball at their own 41 with fourth and two after a running play. There was 3:50 left in the game. At approximately 3:00 the ref threw a flag as ECS was in punt formation, but it was not for delay of game. It was for false start against ECS. So, ECS is penalized 5 yards and goes back in punt formation but the clock continues to run for maybe 15 seconds. The refs call time, huddle, start the clock again and ECS goes into punt formation again and fifteen seconds later they punt. So, approximately 1 minute 20 seconds were taken off the clock on a punt. Could a team deliberately commit false starts to kill the clock? How about a delay of game? Does that stop the clock? Ironically, the punt was returned to the ECS 3-yard line but was called back for holding.

[HTV]

In last night's Webb-ECS game, ECS had the ball at their own 41 with fourth and two after a running play. There was 3:50 left in the game. At approximately 3:00 the ref threw a flag as ECS was in punt formation, but it was not for delay of game. It was for false start against ECS. So, ECS is penalized 5 yards and goes back in punt formation but the clock continues to run for maybe 15 seconds. The refs call time, huddle, start the clock again and ECS goes into punt formation again and fifteen seconds later they punt. So, approximately 1 minute 20 seconds were taken off the clock on a punt. Could a team deliberately commit false starts to kill the clock? How about a delay of game? Does that stop the clock? Ironically, the punt was returned to the ECS 3-yard line but was called back for holding.

 

 

If the penalty is on the offense and the clock had been running, the clock stops to move the ball and then after setting the ball for play the official winds the clock and the play clock begins again.

[g2ghiking]

This doesn't seem fair. The offensive team should not be able to kill the clock by commiting a penalty like false start or delay of game. If so, they could continue to accept these penalties to run out the clock. It doesn't work this way in college or the pros.

[Bucc #58]

I'm not sure, but I believe after a delay of game the clock stops.

[eagle3612]

The refs didn't stop the clock because of the punt team. They originally stopped the clock because a Webb player was asked to step of the punt return for either (blood, wristband, or shirt untucked). Then the clock started again and the Webb coach wanted to know why the clock was running but he waited until the 25 seconds were almost over. After that Ecs ran out more clock before punting. Anyway to make a long story short the refs, coach, and Ecs ran the clock and not an illegal formation.

[g2ghiking]

A ref did throw a flag at the 3 minute mark and walked off five yards against ECS but not for delay of game. The refs were correct to start the clock since they hadn't called delay of game, although they should have as 50 seconds had elapsed from the end of the last play. My understanding is that if ECS had committed another illegal procedure or whatever, it would be interpreted as delay of game to prevent a team from deliberately killing the clock this way.