USA Football Rules Editor Bill LeMonnier is a former college referee who currently serves as an ESPN NCAA rules analyst. Click here to ask Bill a question. Make sure to put “Ask the Official” in the subject line.

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Watching the Oklahoma State-Central Michigan game, the offense lines up with time counting down to the end. With the offense leading and on fourth down, the ball is snapped and thrown way down the field. There are no receivers in the area, but time expires before the ball hits the ground.

The officials call intentional grounding. Does the defensive team get one untimed down on offense?

Extending any period, not just the fourth quarter, on an accepted penalty is negated by a foul that includes a loss of down. NCAA Rule 3-2-3 exception states a period “is not extended if the foul is by the team in possession and the penalty includes a loss of down.” The high school rule book has a similar rule.

You can argue that Team A fouled and gained a huge clock advantage, but you can’t argue the rule. This rule was interpreted incorrectly by the referee, the crew and the replay booth, allowing Central Michigan another snap and the chance to win the game.  

The game should have been over. If this happens at the end of the first quarter, you have only erred by awarding an untimed down that would have happened anyway to start the second quarter. But the stage was set for a fourth quarter miscue that turned the game around with a winning touchdown pass.

Obviously the team benefitting from this ruling should not have won the game. The win/loss situation and what it means to the teams, coaches and players is important. Equally important is the accountability the officials have regarding this error. It’s no secret that the on-field officials and the replay officials have received two-game suspensions from their respective conferences. Postseason bowl assignments are most likely negated. I can tell you from experience that this will eat at this crew for the rest of their careers. Their option is to blossom and grow or simply wilt. Knowing personally so many members of this crew, I trust they will blossom and grow.

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I coach fifth- and sixth-graders in Minnesota. Last night, we played a team that cut block, crab blocked and chop blocked. Does USA Football think it is OK to teach kids this age those types of blocks.

The chop block – defined as blocking a defender below the waist while the defender is engaged with another blocker – is a 15-yard penalty on every level of football.

National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) rules allow blocks below the waist – cut blocks – within the free blocking zone, which is essentially tackle to tackle and three yards on either side of the line of scrimmage. The NFHS in 2016 did make clipping illegal in the free blocking zone.

The USA Football Rules Book makes illegal blocking below the waist anywhere on the field.