Think you know how to manage the clock?
You be the coach and make the call on 3 scenarios to test your knowledge. CLICK HERE for the answer
Scenario 1
With college or NFL rules, you're winning 14-13, 1:32 left in the game, 3rd and Goal on your opponents 4 yard line, and they have no timeouts left. You run a play-action pass, touchdown. Flag on the play, pass interference on the defense.
Accept the penalty. Many coaches say never to take points off the board. They are wrong in this case. You take points off the board if it puts you in the take-a-knee period. You're guaranteed to win, whereas declining the penalty and kicking the extra pt gives your opponent 1:30 to score 8 pts. In 2007 when pass interference meant an automatic first down at all levels, a high school coach declined the penalty in this exact situation and lost the game in overtime as a result. By doing that, the coach violated my Clock Management Rule 1.20(v). He also violated my general principle of more versus enough. That is, you never ever seek more points, first downs, or yards after you have enough to win the game. All that coach had to do was accept the penalty and take a knee four times and he would have won.
Do you accept or decline the penalty? CLICK HERE
Accept the penalty. Many coaches say never to take points off the board. They are wrong in this case. You take points off the board if it puts you in the take-a-knee period. You're guaranteed to win, whereas declining the penalty and kicking the extra pt gives your opponent 1:30 to score 8 pts. In 2007 when pass interference meant an automatic first down at all levels, a high school coach declined the penalty in this exact situation and lost the game in overtime as a result. By doing that, the coach violated my Clock Management Rule 1.20(v). He also violated my general principle of more versus enough. That is, you never ever seek more points, first downs, or yards after you have enough to win the game. All that coach had to do was accept the penalty and take a knee four times and he would have won. Scenario 2
You're losing 14-13, and you have one timeout left, the opponent has the ball on their own 30, 1:50 left in the game, 3rd and 10. You need to force a punt and get into field goal range.
Absolutely not. Using timeouts on defense saves about 40 seconds per timeout. If you use them on offense, when you are in your hurry up, they only save about 12 seconds per timeout. There are other ways to stop the clock like spiking the ball, throwing an incomplete pass or running out of bounds. You can also kick a field goal without stopping the clock if there are more than about 14 seconds on the game clock. This is covered by my Clock Management Rule 4.00(h).
Do you save your timeout to get the field goal team on the field? CLICK HERE for the answer
Absolutely not. Using timeouts on defense saves about 40 seconds per timeout. If you use them on offense, when you are in your hurry up, they only save about 12 seconds per timeout. There are other ways to stop the clock like spiking the ball, throwing an incomplete pass or running out of bounds. You can also kick a field goal without stopping the clock if there are more than about 14 seconds on the game clock. This is covered by my Clock Management Rule 4.00(h).Scenario 3
NFL: You're winning 17-14 with possession of the ball. Your opponent has two timeouts, and you get a first down at the 50 yard line with 1:36 left, staying in bounds so they call a timeout (1 remaining).
Neither. You are not in the take-a-knee period, but you are in the quarterback-sweep-slide period. The take-a-knee play only takes about two seconds. You should make it take longer if you can. Adding the sweep slide adds about four seconds in the NFL; more in high school and college where they do not start the play clock until they move the ball back to the hash and get the officials ready for the next play. Your quarterback runs the sweep slide to wide side of the field each play, losing 15 yards each time, making sure to stay in bounds. If you have not entered the take-a-knee period by 3rd down (40 seconds with no timeouts) on about your own 20, run the sweep slide again. If your quarterback is able to avoid sliding until the clock drops below 40 seconds, you have won and can walk off the field. If he slides with 40 or more seconds left, you will have to run one more, where he will stay inbounds until the horn and then step out the back of the end zone. There will be no time left, and you win 17-16 despite the intentional safety.
Do you need to get another first down or can you take a knee to run out the clock? CLICK HERE for the answer
Neither. You are not in the take-a-knee period, but you are in the quarterback-sweep-slide period. The take-a-knee play only takes about two seconds. You should make it take longer if you can. Adding the sweep slide adds about four seconds in the NFL; more in high school and college where they do not start the play clock until they move the ball back to the hash and get the officials ready for the next play. Your quarterback runs the sweep slide to wide side of the field each play, losing 15 yards each time, making sure to stay in bounds. If you have not entered the take-a-knee period by 3rd down (40 seconds with no timeouts) on about your own 20, run the sweep slide again. If your quarterback is able to avoid sliding until the clock drops below 40 seconds, you have won and can walk off the field. If he slides with 40 or more seconds left, you will have to run one more, where he will stay inbounds until the horn and then step out the back of the end zone. There will be no time left, and you win 17-16 despite the intentional safety.