25 second clock

[DinwiddieProud]

Does anyone have any knowledge of battery powered, wireless operated, play clocks?

With the changes in the rules, many schools will now want play clocks. Getting power and control cabling to on-field locations is virtually impossible in many cases. Horizontal boring is an option in some situations, but it can be terribly expensive.

Any information will be appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[Lafayette]

Does anyone have any knowledge of battery powered, wireless operated, play clocks?

With the changes in the rules, many schools will now want play clocks. Getting power and control cabling to on-field locations is virtually impossible in many cases. Horizontal boring is an option in some situations, but it can be terribly expensive.

Any information will be appreciated.

Thank you.

Down here my discussions with one of our coaches indicated no one here will have on field play clocks visible to all. I hope this changes. The rule as I was told the 25 seconds begin instantly upon the play’s dead ball- run out bounds, incomplete pass, etc. With some longer plays or incomplete long passes it looks like a challenge in getting the next play off.

 

[greyfox60]

DinwiddieProud this doesn't really answer your question but I thought I'd throw it out there for those that haven't seen or heard about the new rule change.........This is what I have seen about it:

When the high school football season begins in late August, players will have more time to snap the ball once they line up.

The Virginia High School League announced it has adopted a recommendation by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) to change play clocks from 25 seconds to 40 seconds.

Previously, the 25-second count began after a referee had given a ready-to-play signal.

The 40-second clock begins once the ball has been ruled dead after a down, has been placed on the ground by an official and that official has stepped away to position.

The move, recommended by the NFHS’ Football Rules Committee in January and then approved by the organization’s Board of Directors, establishes a “more consistent time between downs in high school football,” the VHSL said in a release.

A 25-second clock still will be used during extra-point attempts, at the beginning of a period or overtime series, following a team or official’s timeout or following stoppage of play by the referee for any other reason.

The change does not require schools that do not own play clocks to purchase them, the VHSL said. In those cases, officials “will continue to administer the play clock on the field, as they administered the play clock under the 25-second rule,” the release noted.

College and professional football both use 40-second clocks.

 

[Coach G - FB]

Be careful buying old 25 sec clocks. There are a few, not all, that cannot be modified to 40 seconds.

 

[86CulpGrad]

Does anyone have any knowledge of battery powered, wireless operated, play clocks?

With the changes in the rules, many schools will now want play clocks. Getting power and control cabling to on-field locations is virtually impossible in many cases. Horizontal boring is an option in some situations, but it can be terribly expensive.

Any information will be appreciated.

Thank you.

EV had a 25 sec clock on both ends of the field last year. I think it was wireless. You can probably find out from the AD.

 

[Scarlett_Grey]

From my understanding, the 40 second clock will begin as soon as the ball is whistled dead or within a few seconds after. Once the time gets down to 10 seconds, an official on the field will give hand signals counting down from 10 (like in basketball).

If a school has 25/40 second play clocks, they will have to have separate clock operators for the 25/40 second clock and one for the game clock. Officials will not allow both clocks to be operated by one individual during games. Field officials will be able to reset the play clock to 25 seconds if there is an on field issue that delays the ball from being set for play, this is where the play clocks would need to be able to be reset to 25 seconds automatically.

To me, this is something that is going to take a great deal of getting used to by both officials and coaches. I also remember reading that officials are not going to put up with coaches trying to keep time with a stopwatch and disputing time. Coaches need to emphasize to players to hand the ball to an official after the ball instead of dropping or flipping it. This will cost their offense some seconds. Also interested to see how the exchange between the ball boy and officials will impact this rule. I have seen a lot of dropped balls and errant tosses between officials and ball boys.

 

[86CulpGrad]

From my understanding, the 40 second clock will begin as soon as the ball is whistled dead or within a few seconds after. Once the time gets down to 10 seconds, an official on the field will give hand signals counting down from 10 (like in basketball).

If a school has 25/40 second play clocks, they will have to have separate clock operators for the 25/40 second clock and one for the game clock. Officials will not allow both clocks to be operated by one individual during games. Field officials will be able to reset the play clock to 25 seconds if there is an on field issue that delays the ball from being set for play, this is where the play clocks would need to be able to be reset to 25 seconds automatically.

To me, this is something that is going to take a great deal of getting used to by both officials and coaches. I also remember reading that officials are not going to put up with coaches trying to keep time with a stopwatch and disputing time. Coaches need to emphasize to players to hand the ball to an official after the ball instead of dropping or flipping it. This will cost their offense some seconds. Also interested to see how the exchange between the ball boy and officials will impact this rule. I have seen a lot of dropped balls and errant tosses between officials and ball boys.

I don't know what the big deal is with these time clocks. I've been to many a game over the past 40 years and they all seem to take about 2 hours.

 

[HighestPoint]

It will be interesting to see how this pans out. Associations are having trouble getting enough officials in the first place. This is another change that may not impact much but I'd think that early, especially with inexperienced crews teams will have a bit extra time until they are used to starting the clock right away

 

[falcettik]

You could see a difference in the effort of the officials to get the ball placed at the LOS in the Westfield instra-squad scrimmage on Saturday. They were certainly trying to move quickly in light of the new 40 second rule.

 

[BullRunFootball]

Does anyone have any knowledge of battery powered, wireless operated, play clocks?

With the changes in the rules, many schools will now want play clocks. Getting power and control cabling to on-field locations is virtually impossible in many cases. Horizontal boring is an option in some situations, but it can be terribly expensive.

Any information will be appreciated.

Thank you.

Clarke County in 2A has them. They are wireless. Speaking to one of the coaches the other day the hand held controller plugs into the scoreboard control box. The play clocks have to be turned on by a switch as they are solar powered. Frequency has to be matched up etc. The installer did that part. I know they just got done setting them from the old 25 sec to the 40/25 sec just the other day. Supposedly-anyone who has newer play clocks within the last 6 years or so should have no problem converting them over to 25/40. Clarke's are 2 years old

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Clarke County in 2A has them. They are wireless. Speaking to one of the coaches the other day the hand held controller plugs into the scoreboard control box. The play clocks have to be turned on by a switch as they are solar powered. Frequency has to be matched up etc. The installer did that part. I know they just got done setting them from the old 25 sec to the 40/25 sec just the other day. Supposedly-anyone who has newer play clocks within the last 6 years or so should have no problem converting them over to 25/40. Clarke's are 2 years old

Thank you, Bull Run. Navy, I'll let you follow up on this, if you will, please sir?

 

[ClarkeFan83]

Clarke County in 2A has them. They are wireless. Speaking to one of the coaches the other day the hand held controller plugs into the scoreboard control box. The play clocks have to be turned on by a switch as they are solar powered. Frequency has to be matched up etc. The installer did that part. I know they just got done setting them from the old 25 sec to the 40/25 sec just the other day. Supposedly-anyone who has newer play clocks within the last 6 years or so should have no problem converting them over to 25/40. Clarke's are 2 years old

Man, we are moving up in the world! New wireless play clocks and a re-seeded field! Now, if we could just fix the bathroom issue....

 

[BullRunFootball]

We've had the clocks for 2 years already. This will be year 3. Bathrooms were remodeled back in the spring with new faucets/doors etc. It was before soccer season....If I recall.

 

[ClarkeFan83]

We've had the clocks for 2 years already. This will be year 3. Bathrooms were remodeled back in the spring with new faucets/doors etc. It was before soccer season....If I recall.

I know, I was just marveling at how good things were going. I didn't know the bathrooms have been worked on. Hope they have running hot water!

 

[DinwiddieProud]

I know, I was just marveling at how good things were going. I didn't know the bathrooms have been worked on. Hope they have running hot water!

"Hot water?" Now you are getting greedy.

 

[schoolboard]

There was zero chance that any ref was keeping play clock in the scrimmage I attended this evening. The entire 3rd quarter was one possession by 1 team with the clock running and the coaches huddling their whole squad on the field after every darn play.