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Wisconsin coach figures out how to use new clock rules to advantage

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So here's what happened in the last 23 seconds of the first half. Ironically, Wisconsin recovered the third kickoff inside the Penn State 40 with no time left. Had they not wasted 19 seconds, they would have had the scoring chance.

youtube

00:23 remaining
Wisconsin intentionally goes offside on a kickoff that Penn State's A.J. Wallace returns to the 10-yard line. Penn State accepts the penalty. Nine seconds go off the clock.
00:14 remaining
Badgers rekick and again intentionally go offside; PSU is called for holding so penalties offset. Ten seconds go off the clock.
00:04 remaining
A squib kick is returned by Penn State's Patrick Hall, who fumbles. Badgers recover, but time expires.

It has been suggested that the clock should not start on the kickoffs, or not in the last 2 minutes of each half. I've always thought that the clock should be moving on kickoffs, since it is 'in play', and I hate rules that change because of how much time is on the clock. For me, here's the solution.

My Proposed Rule: Any team, while kicking off or making a free kick after a safety, which has someone more than 5 yards offsides when the ball is kicked will give possession of the ball to the receiving team at the spot 10 yards downfield from where the ball was kicked.

Thus, when anybody tries what Bielema did, it basically results in an unsuccessful on-sides kick. That should allow the clock to run on kickoffs, and not have any special rules depending on the game clock.
 
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BB73;654981; said:
It has been suggested that the clock should not start on the kickoffs, or not in the last 2 minutes of each half. I've always thought that the clock should be moving on kickoffs, since it is 'in play', and I hate rules that change because of how much time is on the clock. For me, here's the solution.

My Proposed Rule: Any team, while kicking off or making a free kick after a safety, which has someone more than 5 yards offsides when the ball is kicked will give possession of the ball to the receiving team at the spot 10 yards downfield from where the ball was kicked.

Thus, when anybody tries what Bielema did, it basically results in an unsuccessful on-sides kick. That should allow the clock to run on kickoffs, and not have any special rules depending on the game clock.
Click to expand...
There was nothing in the old, pre 3-2-5e rules to prevent this. A year ago, if a coach had done this, the clock would still run after the ball is touched by the receiving team, so technically this tactic has always worked, only now the advantage offered to the kicking team is exaggerated because there is an additional four to six seconds bled off during the hangtime.

Regardless, there doesn't need to be a new rule to explicitly prevent this, as there are several old rules that could be applied:

Rule 3-4-3

Unfair Game-Clock Tactics
The referee shall order the game clock started or stopped whenever either team conserves or consumes playing time by tactics obviously unfair. This includes starting the clock on the snap if the foul is by the team ahead in the score. The clock will start on the ready-for-play signal after an illegal forward or backward pass that conserves time for Team A (A.R. 3-4-3-I-IV).
Click to expand...
Rule 9-2-3

Unfair Acts
The following are unfair acts:
a. If a team refuses to play within two minutes after ordered to do so by the referee.
b. If a team repeatedly commits fouls that can be penalized only by halving the distance to its goal line.
c. If an obviously unfair act not specifically covered by the rules occurs during the game (A.R. 4-2-1-II).

PENALTY?The referee may take any action he considers equitable, including assessing a penalty, awarding a score, or suspending or forfeiting the game.
Click to expand...
Really, the only thing that needs to be done is the head of officiating needs to remind officials that they have the authority under rules 3-4 and 9-2 to prevent this. An equitable penalty is probably to reset the game clock to where it was at the conclusion of the first kickoff return, spot the ball where the returner was ruled down, then add 15 yards for a personal foul/unsportsmanlike conduct on the kicking team.

I'm guessing this is why Joe Pa went on a rant wanting a personal foul called on Wisconsin following the second kickoff attempt.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
BB73 said:
So here's what happened in the last 23 seconds of the first half. Ironically, Wisconsin recovered the third kickoff inside the Penn State 40 with no time left. Had they not wasted 19 seconds, they would have had the scoring chance.

youtube

00:23 remaining
Wisconsin intentionally goes offside on a kickoff that Penn State's A.J. Wallace returns to the 10-yard line. Penn State accepts the penalty. Nine seconds go off the clock.
00:14 remaining
Badgers rekick and again intentionally go offside; PSU is called for holding so penalties offset. Ten seconds go off the clock.
00:04 remaining
A squib kick is returned by Penn State's Patrick Hall, who fumbles. Badgers recover, but time expires.

It has been suggested that the clock should not start on the kickoffs, or not in the last 2 minutes of each half. I've always thought that the clock should be moving on kickoffs, since it is 'in play', and I hate rules that change because of how much time is on the clock. For me, here's the solution.

My Proposed Rule: Any team, while kicking off or making a free kick after a safety, which has someone more than 5 yards offsides when the ball is kicked will give possession of the ball to the receiving team at the spot 10 yards downfield from where the ball was kicked.

Thus, when anybody tries what Bielema did, it basically results in an unsuccessful on-sides kick. That should allow the clock to run on kickoffs, and not have any special rules depending on the game clock.
Click to expand...
too many words. clicky this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gp5WM94UOBg&eurl=
 
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http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2652043

Alvarez praises Bielema for exploiting 'bad rule'
By Joe Schad
Special to ESPN.com

Former Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez defended on Monday current coach Bret Bielema's decision to have players intentionally go offsides prior to kickoffs so the first half would expire during Saturday's game against Penn State.

After three kicks, Penn State did not run an offensive play in what was a manipulation of a new rule that starts the clock rolling as soon as it is kicked.

"It was a hell of a call!" said Alvarez, the school's athletic director who hired Bielema. "If Joe Paterno does that everyone says it's genius. There are rules. Good coaches take advantage of them. Do you not think Joe Paterno would have done it if he'd known the rule?"

Wisconsin won the game to improve to 9-1. Alvarez said he and Bielema discussed exploiting this loophole back in the summer, when they visited with officials.

"It's a bad rule," Alvarez said. "I think what you'll see next year is the clock stopped in the final two minutes of each half."

NCAA Associate Director for Playing Rules Administration Ty Halpin said that, by rule, Penn State could have accepted a 5-yard penalty where it ended up with the ball.

"But think about where Penn State would have started with the ball," Alvarez noted. "They caught it at the 5-yard line."

Game officals have also been instructed to give out unsportsmanlike penalties if they believe the offsides are clearly intentional.

"Officials are not going to use that until it is very clear the team is circumventing the rule," Halpin said. "You can argue that in this case, but the game officials are in a tough spot here because by rule, what Wisconsin did was legal."

Grant Teaff, director of the American Football Coaches Association, said his organization and the NCAA are compiling feedback and analysis on the new clock rules, which have been widely criticized by coaches.

"I can assure you this scenario is a big topic of discussion at officials' meetings this morning," Teaff said. "There are other rules that can be exploited. If within the rules, the question becomes is it unethical or does it just take advantage of a rule? I can assure you this will be discussed."

Said Alvarez: "Bret's just a smart coach. We're looking at winning ten games this season for just the second time."

Alvarez said that although he loves his role as an administrator, he has not ruled out the possibility of coaching again.

"Never say never," Alvarez said. "I'm like most guys who cut the cord. I miss it at times. The day to day involvement with the assistants. The games."

Alvarez has been mentioned as a possible successor in Miami if president Donna Shalala fires Larry Coker.

Joe Schad covers college football for ESPN.
Click to expand...
 
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from the men of the Scarlet and Gray blog:

Last Saturday, Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema exploited a loophole in rule 3-2-5e, the new rule designed to speed up college football games. With 23 seconds left in the half, and Wisconsin holding a tenous lead against PSU, he ordered his kickoff team to go offsides twice in a row. Since the new rule requires the clock to start rolling at the kickoff, not the moment of possession, all 23 seconds were wasted during the attempted returns and penalties. In other words, this tactic kept JoePa?s offense off of the field.


http://menofthescarletandgray.com/2006/11/07/loophole-in-3-2-5e/
 
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BuckWrestler141;657911; said:
I'm curious to see how this plays out verse Iowa. I don't know why, but I wouldn't be suprised to see wisconsin get hit with some offensive holding calls and such by the refs during the game as a form of revenge.
Click to expand...

I've heard that if Big 10 officials call holding that they spontaneously burst into flames. We may never be able to verify that though.
 
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Dryden;655060; said:
There was nothing in the old, pre 3-2-5e rules to prevent this. A year ago, if a coach had done this, the clock would still run after the ball is touched by the receiving team, so technically this tactic has always worked, only now the advantage offered to the kicking team is exaggerated because there is an additional four to six seconds bled off during the hangtime.

Regardless, there doesn't need to be a new rule to explicitly prevent this, as there are several old rules that could be applied:



Really, the only thing that needs to be done is the head of officiating needs to remind officials that they have the authority under rules 3-4 and 9-2 to prevent this. An equitable penalty is probably to reset the game clock to where it was at the conclusion of the first kickoff return, spot the ball where the returner was ruled down, then add 15 yards for a personal foul/unsportsmanlike conduct on the kicking team.

I'm guessing this is why Joe Pa went on a rant wanting a personal foul called on Wisconsin following the second kickoff attempt.
Click to expand...

Per Joe Schad on ESPN today, supervisor of officials Dave Parry has instructed Big Ten referees to invoke the unfair tactics provision under Rule 9 if teams try the offsides kickoff to kill time.
 
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