Questions of the Week - Week 10

  1. Late in the 2nd qtr and team A is out of timeouts. The QB runs the ball and is tackled. As the players unpile, the QB rises and takes off his helmet and indicates to the R that the one of the snaps on his chinstrap has become defective and will not stay snapped. The R clearly sees that the chinstrap will not stay snapped so the R stops the clock for an officials timeout due to faulty equipment. The QB tries to fiddle with the snap but has no success. The QB then runs to the team box where a team assistant throws him a new chinstrap. The QB returns to the huddle and is ready to go within the allotted 25 seconds for equipment repair as stated in Rule 3-5-6. No team attendants enter the field to assist the QB. In this situation (Team A has no timeouts), the rule states that if repair of faulty equipment requires the assistance of a team attendant, the player must be replaced for one down. The split interpretation in our association, as well as the playoff crew, boils down to whether the QB going to the team box momentarily constitutes “assistance from a team attendant”. Or, is the intent of the rule means it should only be applied if a team attendant enters the field to assist the player. In other words, we all agreed that if a team attendant enters the field to assist the QB, then the QB must go out for one play. However, if the QB goes to the team box, no attendants enter the field, and the QB fixes the equipment within the allotted 25 seconds, can he stay in the game?

I believe the intent of the rule is to repair equipment on the field. I believe if you are replacing it, the player should have to leave. Someone has to assist to replace and thus we don’t have to decide if they are a “team attendant”.

  1. 1st and 10 on 13. The next running play goes to the 2 yard line. You have a dead ball unsportsmanlike or personnal foul on the offense.

A,1 & 10 on the B17. A obtained the LTG legally during the down. RB, 5-1-2a. Also, CB, 5.1.2B & 5.1.2F.