VOLCHAT: REGARDLESS OF THE FLAG - WE DON'T GET AN UNTIMED PLAY
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I swear all the people criticizing the refs should maybe know the rulebook (you can find it on the NCAA website):
Situation: The ball was live when we kicked it because it was blocked and was subsequently behind the neutral zone (even if it had crossed the neutral zone by 3 yards or less, and landed behind the neutral zone is live).
Rule 6-2-1
Behind the Neutral Zone
ARTICLE 1. a. A scrimmage kick that fails to cross the neutral zone continues in
play. All players may catch or recover the ball behind the neutral zone and advance
it (A.R. 6-3-1-I-III).
b. The blocking of a scrimmage kick by an opponent of the kicking team who
is not more than three yards beyond the neutral zone is considered to have
occurred within or behind that zone (Rule 2-10-5).
Situation: There's little-to-no dispute that Cody's helmet was off before the play was dead. It should have been an unsportsmanlike conduct foul.
Rule 9-2-1
SECTION 2. Unsportsmanlike Conduct Fouls
Unsportsmanlike Acts
ARTICLE 1. There shall be no unsportsmanlike conduct or any act
that interferes with orderly game administration on the part of players,
substitutes, coaches, authorized attendants or any other persons subject to
the rules, before the game, during the game or between periods.
a. Specifically prohibited acts and conduct include:
1. No player, substitute, coach or other person subject to the rules shall
use abusive, threatening or obscene language or gestures, or engage
in such acts that provoke ill will or are demeaning to an opponent, to
game officials or to the image of the game, including but not limited
to:
...
(f) Removal of a player’s helmet before he is in the team area
(Exceptions: Team, media or injury timeouts; equipment
adjustment; through play; between periods; and during a
measurement for a first down).
...
If committed while the ball is alive, these fouls are treated as dead-ball
fouls.
...
PENALTY—Dead-ball foul or live-ball foul treated as dead-ball foul.
15 yards [S7 and S27] from the succeeding spot.
So, we get 15-yards? Wait...
There is no untimed down for a live-ball foul treated as a dead-ball foul. In otherwords, if the foul did not impact the play (i.e. it wasn't pass interference or offsides, etc, but a helmet taken off), there is no untimed play.
Rule 3-2-3
Extension of Periods
ARTICLE 3. a. A period shall be extended for an untimed down (other than
a try) if during a down in which time expires one or more of the following
occurs (A.R. 3-2-3-I-VIII):
1. A penalty is accepted for a live-ball foul(s) not treated as a dead-ball
foul (Exception: Rule 10-2-5-a). The period is not extended if the
statement of the penalty includes loss of down (A.R. 3-2-3-IX).
2. There are offsetting fouls.
3. An official sounds his whistle inadvertently or otherwise incorrectly
signals the ball dead.
b. Additional untimed downs (other than a try) will be played until a down
is free of the circumstances in statements 1, 2 and 3 of Rule 3-2-3-a
(above).
So, there would have had to be time left on the clock and in possession in order to get another shot at a field goal. Bottom line. Even with time, if Alabama recovers the penalty is enforced on their possession