American Football IFAF Approved Ruling 3-3-1

I. On third and 2-1/2, A45 fumbles a live ball after gaining three yards. The officials cannot determine who has recovered the fumble, so the line judge signals the clock to stop while the ball is being located. A45 is found to be in possession of the ball and (a) has not made his line to gain or (b) has made his line to gain. RULING: The 40-second clock starts when the ball is declared dead. (a) The referee immediately will signal the game clock to start. (b) The game clock will start on the referee’s signal when the ball is ready for play.

II. On second and 14, A45 gains six yards and is downed with the ball in his possession. The linesman, mistaking the back stake of the line-to-gain chain for the front stake, erroneously signals the clock to stop. RULING: As soon as the error is detected by any official, the signal to start the clock shall be given by the game official detecting the error.

III. Team A fumbles or the ball is loose after a backward pass. Several players dive on the ball, creating a “pile.’’ RULING: The covering official(s) shall stop the clock and the 40-second clock shall start. Upon positive knowledge of who recovered, the referee will point in the direction governed by possession and start the game clock (a) immediately if Team A has recovered short of the line to gain (no first down), or (b) on the snap if Team B has recovered.

IV. A shoelace, padlace, jersey, number or equipment breaks or tears. RULING: No referee’s discretionary timeout permitted for repair or replacement.

V. 3/5 @ B-30. It is late in the half and both teams have all their timeouts remaining. With Team A at the line and ready to snap the ball, the Team B head coach requests a timeout, and the timeout is granted. After the timeout, both teams are in formation and the ball is ready for play. (a) Team B head coach requests a time out, or (b) Team A head coach requests a timeout. RULING: (a) The officials shall not acknowledge the timeout request. Team B still has 2 timeouts remaining, but since they have already called a timeout in the dead ball period, a timeout is not available for Team B, (b) Team A timeout is granted. Since they have timeouts remaining and have not called a timeout in this dead ball period, Team A has a timeout available.

VI. 3/5 @ B-30. It is late in the half and both teams have all their timeouts remaining. With Team A at the line and ready to snap the ball, the Team B head coach requests a timeout, and the time out is granted. After the timeout, both teams are in formation and the ball is ready for play. Just before the snap, A77 commits a false start. Team A is penalized 5 yards creating a 3/10 situation. Both teams are back in formation with the ball ready for play, and Team B head coach requests a timeout. RULING: The officials shall not acknowledge the Team B head coach’s timeout request. Team B still has 2 timeouts remaining, but since they have already called a timeout in the dead ball period, a timeout is not available for Team B. Because the false start is a dead ball foul, we are still in the same dead ball period from when Team B called a timeout, so a timeout is not available to Team B.