40 seconds clock

[CITYSLICKER]

New play clock rules

A new clock rule will be used for football games this season. Following the advice of the national federation, the 25-second play clock will be expanded to 40 seconds. The change is an effort to bring more consistency to the start and stoppage of the play clock.

Under the new rule, the 40-second clock will begin when the previous play ends. In the past, the play clock did not begin until the referee whistled the ball in play, and the variance as to when that happened was a concern.

“Some officials started the clock fairly quickly while some others took a little more time to start the clock,” SCHSL assistant commissioner Charlie Wentzky said. “This will make it more uniform and consistent. The average fan watching the game probably won’t notice the change.”

Wentzky said the new rule will likely not speed up the game itself. The game clock will still stop on out-of-bounds plays, incomplete passes, first downs and penalties.

[wave 80]

So if the previous play is an incompletion.
The 40 clock starts for the next play at the point the ball hits the ground/or blown dead ...or do they have to retrieve a new ball spot it and then the 40 Seconds start on the next play at the time its spotted?
Sounds like the games are going to be longer ....

Go Wave.

[FootballFan4343]

So if the previous play is an incompletion.
The 40 clock starts for the next play at the point the ball hits the ground/or blown dead ...or do they have to retrieve a new ball spot it and then the 40 Seconds start on the next play at the time its spotted?
Sounds like the games are going to be longer ....

Go Wave.

It is a judgement call on when the play is "over" that the scoreboard official will have to make. So in theory, a player is tackled and goes down, clock starts rolling. Same scenario that NFL and college currently use. I believe it will actually speed the games up, slightly. Many times it takes 15-20 seconds between plays for the ball to get spotted, especially on long plays that don't get first downs, for example an 18 yard run on 1st and 20.