AboutVictor Winnek Expertise I answer questions related to: Football Officiating; NCAA & Federation Rules; History of Football; Football Officiating - Mechanics (2,3,4,5,7 man); NCAA Rules; High School Rules; Player Safety, Issues of liability arising from injuries, workers compensation, discrimination of officials; History of the Game.Instructor of officials.
I do not answer questions as to what position a person should play or what their chances are ...
Experience 22 years officiating High School & College football, NCAA Referee, Line Judge, Head Linesman; 2 years Arena Football-substitution official; Instructor of NCAA & Federation Officials, Member of the Board of Directors CFOA-Long Beach & South Bay Units, Pres. of Executive Council of Calif. Football Officials Assoc.; CIF Presidents' Council on Officiating; Chairman of the Officiating Ethics Committee; Played prep & college football; coached High School football; Athletic trainer
Organizations President of Calif. Football Officials Assoc.; Western Collegiate Football Officials Assoc.; CFOA-Long Beach Unit
Publications Referee Magazine; California Football Officials Assoc. Instructor's Guide; NCAA Div. 1-AA football officials clinic; CFOA instrutional materials; UWLA Law Review
Education/Credentials BA USC 1987
JD UWLA School of Law 1996
3 Years Reno Football Officials Clinic
Big 12 Mini Clinic
4 Years UCLA Football Officials Camp
22 years of instruction in Officiating Football
Awards and Honors 5 Bowl games, NCAA Div. 1-AA; CIF State Championship, 6 years CIF Finals, 9 years CIF Semi-finals, 16 years of CIF play-offs.
I will not dignify rude or disparaging comments with a response. I also will not entertain questions that use profanity. Football officials don't seek to “screw” any team Such an insinuation is ridiculous and ludicrous.
Question Team A has no timeouts left. They are down 14-13, it is in the 4th Quarter. Team A has the ball on Team B's 2 yard line, it is 4th and goal. The clock is ticking...12 seconds, 11 seconds...Team A is scrambling to get into a set position so the quarterback can spike the ball and stop the clock. There is pure chaos on the field. Team A finally spikes the ball with 10 seconds on the clock...Team B is celebrating because they believe the ball is theirs on change of possession Wait, there is a flag on the play. The referee throws a flag and calls illegal procedure on Team A-they were not set prior to them taking the snap and spiking the ball. The referee walks the ball back 5 yards and instructs the clock to be reset to 10 seconds and to begin on the snap, and it is now 4th down and goal. Meanwhile, Team A gets in a huddle and is able to call a play-they proceed to score a touchdown and win the game.
This seemed very odd to me because the referee really gave Team A a timeout for a 5 yard penalty.
Also, the coach from Team B was screaming, trying to decline the penalty with no luck. Can you tell me if the referee made the right call please or if you need more information. THANKS!
Answer Greg,
I presume you are talking about a high school game since the foul was for illegal procedure; if it were an NCAA game such a foul would be false start.
Under high school rules 3-3-3 & 3-6-3 A is entitled to an untimed down if the penalty is accepted, if declined the the clock starts on the ready. This is similar to a Federation case book play where the National Federation advised that Team A is entitled to an untimed down if the penalty is accepted.
Under NCAA rules the referee would not have the discretion to invoke rule 3-4-3 to start the clock on the snap since there is no unfair time tactic taking place. NCAA rule 3-2-5-4 requires the clock to start on the ready when the penalty enforcement has been completed.
The referee was correct for putting time back on the clock since the dead ball foul stopped the clock at 10 seconds. Under college rules the clock would start on the ready.
Under high school rules the would have started on the snap id the foul was accepted. Please note, the referee in a high school game should have explained to the B team captain that if they declined the penalty the clock would rest on the ready.
