Quick question on clock time and reviews:
As you all probably remember (or watched again on BTN or DVR), the 4th quarter play where Denard stretches while levitating and gets the 1st down, the clock stops at 43 seconds. The ball is placed and the refs start the game clock. At 32 seconds, just before the hike, a review is called. When the ref states the review stands, the clock is not reset to 43 seconds, but remains at the 32 second mark. The ref then restarts the game clock and we lose an addition 4-5 seconds hiking the ball. What is the correct call here? Should the time be placed back on the clock or was this handled correctly? Although it ended up not hurting us, it certainly would've been important had we run out of time. The officials in the replay booth have the clock imprinted on their reviews, so it's not a question of knowing the clock time.
October 21st, 2012 at 6:59 PM ^
I have seen this go both ways in football games. I'm guessing the rule is that the clock gets reset, but I've seen it not get reset several times. Michigan was mind numbingly in no hurry anyway, and they are fortunate that late game clock management didn't cost them the game.
October 21st, 2012 at 7:03 PM ^
I noticed this too. And I couldn't claim that MSU should be charged with a timeout for loosing their challenge, which would have resulted in a clock stoppage because the review came from the booth. It seems like a flawed rule.
October 21st, 2012 at 7:09 PM ^
October 21st, 2012 at 9:24 PM ^
October 21st, 2012 at 7:04 PM ^
I believe that had the call been reversed, the clock would have been reset. Given that it wasn't, I think it was correct to not change the clock. Once they did restart the clock it probably did cost us an additional 3-4 seconds as we didn't snap the ball right away.
October 21st, 2012 at 7:19 PM ^
If anything, the clock shouldn't be reset if the call was reversed (because no first down = running clock). However we did get the first down, as called on the field, so the clock should stop. It didn't, so IMO, the clock should have been reset to when the play was blown dead (~43 sec). I have no idea why Hoke wasn't screaming at the ref after the time wasn't put back, I sure as hell was screaming at him (through the TV, of course).
October 21st, 2012 at 7:50 PM ^
October 21st, 2012 at 7:14 PM ^
Looking at the rule book (Rule 12), it looks like if the call is reversed then the clock would be adjusted.
But, in Section 3, Article 5 it looks like the officials have the leeway to make a clock adjustment in this circumstance. What the officials did is only reset the play clock but not the game clock. Although I was really mad about this yesterday, it seems that it could go either way.
October 21st, 2012 at 10:03 PM ^
I read Rule 12 over a few times, and it seems to me that you might be right here - they could have restored the time, but the way this is phrased, they don't necessarily need to do so.
We were awarded the first down on the field, which would have stopped the clock. The chains were reset, and the referee, in accordance with procedure, signalled for time to begin again, and 11 seconds passed before the review was requested and the whistle sounded.
Now, what interests me in particular is the third statement in Article 5, Section 3, which says that they may - yes, may - restore time in the fourth quarter if "either the score is tied or the team that will next snap the ball is behind by eight points or fewer". As it happens, we didn't need the 11 seconds fortunately, but if I read that right, if I am referencing what you are, we could have had them if we met the criteria of 12-3-5.
October 22nd, 2012 at 6:29 AM ^
October 21st, 2012 at 7:17 PM ^
October 21st, 2012 at 7:41 PM ^
October 21st, 2012 at 9:32 PM ^
Chains no longer need to be placed before the clock moves. I think that rule change was made a few years back, though I could be wrong.
October 21st, 2012 at 10:58 PM ^
The clock starts on the official's ready-for-play signal. He'll usually wait for the chains to be set and ready for play, but there's no specific requirement and if he whistles early there's no recourse.
As far as I know there's never been any formal requirement that the official wait for the chains. What changed in 2006 was that the clock is restarted on the RFP signal--it used to be started on the ensuing snap.
October 21st, 2012 at 11:12 PM ^
No, it always started on the RFP signal. That's why teams have always had to spike the ball in last-minute situations after a first down gained inbounds (e.g., Washington State in the '98 Rose Bowl).
October 21st, 2012 at 11:18 PM ^
My bad--what changed in 2006 was the starting of the clock prior to first down after a change of possession.
Not sure what I was thinking there.
October 21st, 2012 at 9:35 PM ^
October 21st, 2012 at 7:23 PM ^
October 21st, 2012 at 7:31 PM ^
is prevented by the rule I cited above, which makes specific allowances for resetting the clock if it would end either half. But, I suppose it could take the clock down to 1 second and essentially eliminate much chance for the opposing team.
<<edit>> But it's confusing and I could be wrong about it as the play under review is not ending the half.
October 21st, 2012 at 7:35 PM ^
October 21st, 2012 at 7:39 PM ^
October 21st, 2012 at 8:02 PM ^
October 21st, 2012 at 9:50 PM ^
Definitely remember yelling at the TV to reset the clock to the correct time. I don't think the refs heard me :(
October 22nd, 2012 at 2:17 AM ^
October 22nd, 2012 at 7:38 AM ^
The clock stopped for the first down, but they moved the chains faster than I've ever seen, especially given that situation when it was such a close call. MSU, as was smart, was taking their time getting off whatever Michigan player so that more time could tick.
The review shouldn't affect the time taken off. The play as called was a first down and the clock technically stopped when they moved the chains. It's just that it only stopped for like 2 seconds.
October 22nd, 2012 at 10:46 AM ^
I had a different time keeping observation. At one point, M was up at the line near ready to start a play, but the refs held them up to allow an MSU player that was slow to get up and in the backfield a chance to get off the field. When the play was restarted, M did not get a fresh 25 seconds on the play clock. Seems to me that the play clock should have been reset.
October 22nd, 2012 at 12:48 PM ^
Thanks for the information. It's good for me.
October 23rd, 2012 at 8:36 PM ^
It is time for Hoke to wear the headset and monitor the game more closely. Could he have advocated for those lost seconds to go back on the clock in the fourth quarter? Absolutely. His failure to do so combines with a number of other in-game management problems in the last two seasons to make me concerned. I was not a big fan of Carr's, but he did not suffer the attention deficits that plague Hoke and RichRod. Remember Carr's crafty effort to get seconds put back on the clock against PSU a few years back? Again, Brady, it's time to learn to wear the headset and actively manage the game.