Some clock questions ...

[cajunjacket]

One thing that I have been paying attention to a lot lately is the game clock in between plays, after first downs, etc. etc. It seems like at least 15 seconds per half is wasted due to faulty clock operation. Those 15+ seconds can be a difference maker at the end of the 4th quarter in a football game. I have some questions about the clock rules so that I can make sure I understand everything correctly.

1) If an offensive player carrying the football is tackled in-bounds, when is the play clock supposed to start? When the ref spots the ball? Or immediately after the guy was tackled?

2) After an offensive penalty isn't the game clock supposed to start moving once the ref spots the ball regardless of whether it was moving before the penalty (e.g. a false start after an incomplete pass)?

The reason I ask question 1 is because I have seen refs start the play clock immediately after the tackle sometimes; contrarily, I have seen them start the play clock after they spot the ball.

The reason I ask question 2 is because I have seen refs start the clock after an offensive penalty sometimes and then other times they don't.

Is this inconsistency in the officials, or is there some kind of "last-2-minutes-of-the-game" rule where everything changes?

Lastly I was wondering who controls the clock? The reason I ask is because it seems so inconsistent (e.g. you will have an incomplete pass and the clock will tick off 3 extra seconds sometimes ... almost as if they aren't paying much attention).

THANKS

 

[beej67]

This year ...

1) after the tackle,
2) after the ball is spotted, if it was supposed to run. (so not after an incompletion, but yes after a run OOB with more than 2 mins remaining in the half)

 

[ASimPerson]

The 25-second clock (the one that starts when the officials signal for it after the ball is spotted) is only used after timeouts, penalties, or other "administrative stoppages".

This year, the NCAA basically adopted the NFL's timing rules, minus the 2 minute warning (but keeping the clock stoppage on first downs). For instance, if a player is run or tackled out-of-bounds the clock keeps running unless it is within the last two minutes of a half.

The clock, I believe, is controlled by a clock official in the pressbox. Officially, the referee has control over the clock but I do not know if he keeps track of it independently. The timekeeping is inconsistent because humans are doing it, mostly, but also the officials will let, say, 2 or 3 seconds melt off after a FG at the end of a half.

 

[cajunjacket]

Thanks for clearing this up for me.