I know a couple have argued that this timeout was not as bad as it seemed because the clock was going to start on the ready for play, but that is just not right. Here is the rule (3.4.4):
a.With the game clock running and less that 1 minute in the half, if either team commits a foul that causes the clock to stop, the officials may subtract 10 seconds from the game clock at the option of the offended team. The offended team may accept the yardage penalty and decline the 10-second runoff.
c. After the penalty is administered, if there is a 10 second runoff, the game clock starts on the referee's signal. If there is no 10-second runoff, the game clock starts on the snap.
Since UL obviously denied the runoff, the clock would not start until the snap. But Petrino called timeout anyway.
a.With the game clock running and less that 1 minute in the half, if either team commits a foul that causes the clock to stop, the officials may subtract 10 seconds from the game clock at the option of the offended team. The offended team may accept the yardage penalty and decline the 10-second runoff.
c. After the penalty is administered, if there is a 10 second runoff, the game clock starts on the referee's signal. If there is no 10-second runoff, the game clock starts on the snap.
Since UL obviously denied the runoff, the clock would not start until the snap. But Petrino called timeout anyway.