Serious rule change suggestion, seriously

Submitted by blizzardo on October 11th, 2020 at 12:27 PM

So last night's game between Arkansas and Auburn got me thinking. If a play is blown dead when the ball is not possessed, why does the last possessing team get to keep it?

I suggest that if neither team possesses the ball when I play is whistle dead, the team of last possession has to free kick.

This would incentivize refs to not blow the whistle too early. It would prevent bailing out offenses that lose the ball in play but get an early whistle. 

 

Thoughts?

blizzardo

October 11th, 2020 at 12:31 PM ^

This would only be for when the ball is in the field of play. Not if play is stopped due to the ball going out of bounds.

 

Of course, when possession is lost out of bounds in the end zone. The result is still a touchback 

Grampy

October 11th, 2020 at 12:33 PM ^

Let's use something like a jump ball (Basketball), or better yet, a scrum (Rugby).  Line up 3 D-linemen opposite three from the other team, two yards apart, place the ball (at the spot of the fumble) dead between them, and when the whistle blows, lets just see who wants it more.  Make them all wear body-cams, too, for that extra entertainment value.

Sam1863

October 11th, 2020 at 2:06 PM ^

Never quite figured out why this show gets so much hate on this board. Sure, we're not talking about hilarious, cutting-edge television here. But in one man's opinion, it's not that bad - actually pretty funny in certain episodes.

Of course, that same man would gouge out his own eyes with a salad fork if forced to watch "Last Man Standing," so I understand what you're getting at.

trueblueintexas

October 11th, 2020 at 12:48 PM ^

It was a backwards pass, thus a fumble. Arkansas did the right thing by continuing to play through to possession despite the whistle. Sometimes refs make mistakes, even with replay. 
There will never be perfection with humans involved. It’s part of the game. 

outsidethebox

October 11th, 2020 at 2:56 PM ^

A long time ago a great coach, the best I ever played for, advised us that the one thing there is no rule against is bad officiating. His point was that officials will make bad calls but, as players, our task did not include complaining about the officiating. 

Sparty Doesn't Know

October 11th, 2020 at 7:35 PM ^

You could do a possession arrow like basketball.  First possession arrow goes to whichever team had the fewest (or most if an SEC game) covid cases during the week preceding the game.