Clock management

In gridiron football, clock management is an aspect of game strategy that focuses on the game clock and/or play clock to achieve a desired result, typically near the end of a match. Depending on the game situation, clock management may entail playing in a manner that either slows or quickens the time elapsed from the game clock, to either extend the match or hasten its end. When the desired outcome is to end the match quicker, it is analogous to "running out the clock" (and associated counter-tactics) seen in many sports. Clock management strategies are a significant part of American football, where an elaborate set of rules dictates when the game clock stops between downs, and when it continues to run.

In gridiron football, clock management is an aspect of game strategy that focuses on the game clock and/or play clock to achieve a desired result, typically near the end of a match. Depending on the game situation, clock management may entail playing in a manner that either slows or quickens the time elapsed from the game clock, to either extend the match or hasten its end. When the desired outcome is to end the match quicker, it is analogous to "running out the clock" (and associated counter-tactics) seen in many sports. Clock management strategies are a significant part of American football, where an elaborate set of rules dictates when the game clock stops between downs, and when it continues to run.

In American football

Rules for the game clock

Upon kickoff, the clock is started when a member of the receiving team touches the ball, or, if the member of the receiving team touches the ball in their end zone, carries the ball out of the end zone. The clock is stopped when the down ends. (The clock never starts if the receiving team downs the ball in their own end zone for a touchback.) The clock is then restarted when the offense snaps the ball for their first play and continues to run unless one of the following occurs, in which case the clock is stopped at the end of the play and restarts at the next snap unless otherwise provided: A player carrying the ball goes out of bounds. The clock stops in all 4 quarters and, for most of the game, it is restarted upon the referee spotting the ball and blowing the whistle to signal the resumption of play. In college football & Texas high school football, the clock restarts upon the snap of the ball when the clock was stopped with less than 2:00 left in either half. The NFL rule is the same as in the college game for the first half of games, but the clock restarts upon the snap when there is under 5:00 left in the 4th quarter/overtime. In high school football outside TX, the clock starts on the snap the entire game. A loose ball is out of bounds. The clock is restarted when a ball is returned to the field in the NFL. In NFHS and NCAA rules, this is the same as when the ball is carried out of bounds, although under NCAA rules, the clock starts after a forward fumble the entire game. A forward pass is ruled incomplete. Either team calls for a timeout. An official calls for a timeout, perhaps because a player is injured or there is a penalty on the play. Officials will restart the clock after an official timeout has concluded unless another of the conditions applies. In the NFL, if the timeout is for a penalty enforcement after the 2-minute warning of the first half or inside the last 5 minutes of the second half/overtime (absent special timing rules for specific fouls), the clock starts on the snap. 10 seconds will be taken off the clock, and the clock started when the ball is spotted, if the offense, after the 2-minute warning of either half, fouls or commits certain other acts that cause the clock to stop (including an injury when the offense is out of timeouts, except under certain circumstances), unless the clock will stop anyway for a different reason. In Canadian football, the offense may execute one additional untimed play if the clock expires while the ball is not in play. A score or touchback occurs. Additionally, the clock does not run during or after a conversion attempt. Possession of the football is transferred between teams for any reason. In high school and in the last two minutes of a college half, the clock is briefly stopped when a team earns a first down to allow the chain crew to reposition themselves. The NFL has no such stoppage. If the clock runs out during a play, the current play is allowed to continue to its conclusion. If the clock runs out between downs, the period ends in American football, but in Canadian football the offense is allowed one last down. Each team is given three timeouts per half which they can use to stop the clock from running after a play. In the NFL, teams get two timeouts in a regular season overtime period, or three in a postseason overtime half. On a fair-catch kick in the NFL, the clock starts at the kick and stops at the end of the play.

Strategies

See also

Gaming the system

References

Further reading

A clock-management manual

Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364844817 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.