Time Out Mistake By Official - Opinions Please

[boxlaxman]

OK..made an honest mistake a several weeks ago that I just now remembered about. First NCAA rules game of the season...

Team A has posession in the offensive end of the field BUT, not in the attack area. Team B, who's bench side is near the ball, is attempting a double-team take away as Team A is 8 seconds deep into the count. Team A coach requests a timeout. The trail official (me) who is 20 yards from the ball thinks, as Team A coach does, he has crossed the restraining line and awards the time-out.

Team B coach goes nuts because he was NOT in the box. After conferring with the lead, he agrees with Team B coach that the player was NOT in the attack area. This is an official's error.

Team A's goal was to clearly stop the the 10-second count and preserve posession. The official incorrectly granted the TO BUT the Team A coach BELIEVED he was in the attack area as did the official. Lines were hard to see.

So...here is what I did. I granted the timeout and ball was awarded to Team A. I couldn't justify giving the ball to Team B on my error. Also, at the very least, they used a timeout.

Not sure what I would do if it happened again...

[LaxRef]

That's a tough one.

The correct call by the book is probably to award the ball to Team B. Ultimately, Team A called a timeout when they were not allowed to do so, which is a technical foul, and that is what caused you to stop the game.

I have tried to get a clarification in the rules about whether we should ignore an illegally-requested timeout or assess a technical foul, but I feel pretty strongly that if the illegally-requested timeout fools the officials into stopping play then the team calling it must be charged with the technical.

[Woodenstick]

In both NFHS and NCAA IP includes "any violation of the rules for timeouts."
So I think trying to call a time-out when one is not permitted could be viewed at a technical foul, change of possession. I admit I have never called this. For example, a coach yelling for a t/o when his player does not yet have possession, I ignore it, because it has no effect on the game (i.e., no advantage gained). In your case, though, it sounds like an advantage was realized, so maybe the fairest thing to do is treat the improper request for a t/o as IP? The defensive team now has the ball, which it sounds like would have been the result if you had not accepted the t/o request.

Sorry, did not see LRs post, which I agree with.

[eme]

The coach called for the TO when his team was not over the line. You and your partners agree he was not over the line.

IP. Technical foul. Award ball to other team.

[Lax Fan26]

Team A has posession in the offensive end of the field BUT, not in the attack area. The trail official (me) who is 20 yards from the ball thinks, as Team A coach does, he has crossed the restraining line and awards the time-out.

Team B coach goes nuts because he was NOT in the box. After conferring with the lead, he agrees with Team B coach that the player was NOT in the attack area.

The official incorrectly granted the TO BUT the Team A coach BELIEVED he was in the attack area as did the official. ...

In NCAA, the attacking team needs only to be passed the restraining line (including the alleys), not specifically in the attack box to be eligible for a TO. Your post was confusing as to whether your crew was aware of this distinction or whether the ball was in the alley or not when the TO was called.

[hymie]

Team A has posession in the offensive end of the field BUT, not in the attack area. Team B, who's bench side is near the ball, is attempting a double-team take away as Team A is 8 seconds deep into the count. Team A coach requests a timeout. The trail official (me) who is 20 yards from the ball thinks, as Team A coach does, he has crossed the restraining line and awards the time-out.

Team B coach goes nuts because he was NOT in the box.

You don't have to be in the box to call time-out. You can be across the restraining line, out of but next to the box (the "alleys") and call time-out.

I agree with ... I forget who said it. You have two choices, either it's a legal time out and A gets the ball, or it's an illegal procedure and B gets the ball. Sounds like it was a valid time-out, but I also think you're answering the wrong question.

[LaxRef]

In NCAA, the attacking team needs only to be passed the restraining line (including the alleys), not specifically in the attack box to be eligible for a TO. Your post was confusing as to whether your crew was aware of this distinction or whether the ball was in the alley or not when the TO was called.

That is a good point. I worried about that until I saw the reference to the restraining line in the OP, but you're correct that the rest of the post doesn't make that entirely clear.

I had a coach yell at me recently for awarding a timeout when the team had possession in the alley. I said, "Coach, the rule was changed last season." It's amazing how long a half-life some of these rules have ("He's in the attack area! Your penalty is released!")

[boxlaxman]

Hmmm...semantics. I have always used the term "attack area" or "defensive area" to mean UNDER the restraining line ONLY which is what I meant in the orginal post. I have always used "restraining box" to refer to the area INSIDE of the alleys AND under the restraining line. The rulebook refers to the box as the area. Hmmm....

Anyway...my biggest issue is that I may have inferred to the coach that he WAS under the line. The coach "prepped" me for the TO saying "I'm going to call it when he gets in". So again, I was under the impression he WAS in, only to find out he was not.

We have no signal from the lead/single side to the trail when the ball crosses the restraining line but isn't is in the alley. I was just eating this one as my mistake...IP on me??

[flagman]

I'm with LR & EME; IP, technical foul turn the ball over to team B

As a point of clarification, the requesting team need only to be in contact with the restraining line...not over it and certainly no longer in the attack box at LR makes clear.

NCAA:
Team Timeouts
SECTION 27. ....During play, official team timeouts may be called by a field player of the team in possession of the ball or by that team’s head coach only when the player in possession of the ball has contact with the ground with at least one foot in contact with the ground on or across the restraining line in his offensive end of the field.

[LaxRef]

I'm with LR & EME; IP, technical foul turn the ball over to team B

As a point of clarification, the requesting team need only to be in contact with the restraining line...not over it and certainly no longer in the attack box at LR makes clear.

NCAA:
Team Timeouts
SECTION 27. ....During play, official team timeouts may be called by a field player of the team in possession of the ball or by that team’s head coach only when the player in possession of the ball has contact with the ground with at least one foot in contact with the ground on or across the restraining line in his offensive end of the field.

Hmmmm . . . That wording seems better than last year's:

During play, official team timeouts may be called by a field player of a
team in possession of the ball or by that team’s head coach only when the
player in possession of the ball has contact with the ground with one foot
across the restraining line.

:clap:

[boxlaxman]

In my game today...the first time I am trail, I'll hang out in the box for 30 seconds as an IP penalty on me...:chair:

[flagman]

Boxlaxman I think you can sell it as "he had his foot on the line when the coach made the request", it's worth a try, as you said the lines were hard to see.:DOH:

[Stubs]

I go with flagman, particularly if Team B is home team. "Coach, it looked to me like he had touched/passed the restraining line. If you guys get these lines brightened up a bit, it might help in these calls."

[pboyd]

Original scenario: Appears that you have no choice (doesn't matter what you thought) Head coach calls for TO to prevent losing ball for failure to advance - you blow whistle and then determine that player was not on or across the restraining line - IP award ball to Team B.
Slight change/modification to scenario: If the head coach asked for a TO when his player crosses the restraining line and you blow the whistle in the same scenario - what's the call?
If you thought that the player in possession was on or across the offensive restraining line - this is an inadvertent whistle and Team A retains possession no violation. Team A can now get TO since dead ball if they desire.

[Duncan26]

If your lead has the count and signs in when it the box that would help, but that does not help when he is crossing the restraining line in the alleys. Tough Call.