In past Ready for Play articles, we’ve talked about crossover concepts between basketball and football officiating. Here’s another one: in basketball, officials are taught to glance at the bench near the end of each quarter to anticipate a timeout request. Coaches often want a stoppage to set up a last shot, and good officials are ready for it.
Football is no different. As the game clock winds down near the end of a half—or when the play clock is about to expire—coaches are thinking about timeouts. They may not like the personnel on the field, or they may want to stop the clock before a critical snap. If we’re not prepared, we risk missing their request.
Offense Timeout Scenarios
- “Two-minute drill”: With limited time available in either half, after a play ends, the coach may want to stop the clock to preserve time.
- Red zone strategy: Late in the half, a coach may stop the clock to bring out the field goal team.
- Avoiding a delay: When the play clock is running down, the coach may elect to use a timeout to avoid a foul for delay of game.
- Too many/not enough players on the field: If the offense does not have eleven players on the field, anticipate a timeout if the game clock is running down.
- Confusion: When the offense is confused—wrong personnel, or a player doesn’t know his assignment—the wing on that sideline should be alert. If the issue can’t be sorted out before the snap, anticipate a timeout.
Defense Timeout Scenarios
- Get the ball back: Late in the half, if the defense stops the runner short of the line to gain, a coach may stop the clock to preserve time for a possible offensive series.
- Ice the kicker: Right before a key field goal attempt, defensive coaches may call timeout in hopes of disrupting the kicker’s rhythm.
- Personnel confusion: Wrong players, too few or too many players, or an alignment problem—expect the defense to call timeout to prevent a penalty or a big play.
Anticipate the timeout call. Before the snap, listen for the coach’s timeout if it is likely. After a play is over (and after dead-ball officiating), immediately look at the coach if a timeout is possible.
If you’re between the goal line and the B/R-25, allow the coach to leave the team box to request the timeout (this is a good pregame briefing item to share with the coach). Do not flag the coach for venturing beyond the 25-yard line to get your attention.
When the coach requests a timeout, immediately look at the clock. If time remains on the game clock and it expires before the wing’s whistle and signal to stop the clock, grant the timeout and put time back on the clock. If the coach requests a timeout before the delay of game flag or before the ball is snapped, kill the play and grant the timeout.
Quiz
Read the quiz stem and then choose the best answer.
3/5 from the B-25. A23 catches a pass at the B-7 and fumbles at the B-5. The ball strikes the pylon. B15 is flagged for roughing the passer. From which yardline will the penalty for B15’s foul be enforced?
- B-5
- B-7
- B-20
- B-25
Review Rules 1-2-4, 8-5-3c, 9-4-4 PENALTY