Expert: Thom Brooks - 12/6/2009

Question
In the 09 Texas-Nebraska game, the clock ran out.  It was ruled that there was one second left when the ball hit the ground on an incomplete pass.  I thought the clock should be stopped when the referee signaled that the pass was incomplete.  If that rule had been followed, the game would have been over as the referee would not have had time to see the ball hit the ground, raise his hands waving incomplete, the clock operator then pushing the button to stop the clock as happens in all instances of stopping the clock on incomplete passes.  Was the Commissioner of the Big 12 correct in putting one more second on the clock?  Did it have anything to do with Texas to the championship game?  

Answer
Jimmy, hello and Merry Christmas!


The referee requires the clock to continue running until he kills it.   When the ball is incomplete, the clock runs until it is deemed dead, usually hitting the ground.  Colt screwed up by lollygaggin and then lobbing the ball.  He should have drilled it in the ground.  I saw that replay and there was actually one second left but the ref tells the clock man to keep it running.  It's easier for the Ref to put time back on the clock then to have the clock operator run too much time.  I've run clocks and the fans do not want to see a clock happy guy trying to get the time to disappear.  I hate seeing seconds run off the clock.  I'd rather the teams choose to do with the team as the rule book allows.  


The extra second had a great deal to do with the importance of that game.  Had is been regular season, perhaps a different decision, but probably only different if the score was beyond a matter of winning or losing the contest.  I wasn't really pulling for either team, but thought Nebraska played a great game until that final kickoff.  The coaches and players KNEW you couldn't kick it out of bounds.  The defender KNEW you shouldn't have a Horse Collar penalty in that situation.  So, the team had the game and gave it back to the Longhorns.
Tip your hat to both teams.  

Fans think the ball is dead when they hear the whistle, but the the official kills the ball and THEN the whistle blows.  But, in that play, they got the call corrected to what it should have been.



Take care,


Thom Brooks