NCAA Proposes new kickoff Rules
This article from ESPN.com talks about a couple of new proposals for kickoff and timing rules changes. The timing rule changes include a 40-second play clock after touchdowns and kickoffs. If this speeds up the game, then I'm all for it. They also propose a ten second runoff if, inside one minute of the half ending, a play is overruled and that the correct ruling would not have stopped the game. The first scenario that comes to mind is if a pass is completed a yard short of a first down but the initial ruling is a first down, but then instant replay correctly rules short of a first down, then you'd see a ten second runoff. I'm very suspicious of this rule change and feel it may be an unwarranted disadvantage to the team with the ball.
The kickoff rule change allows a team to call a fair catch anywhere between the goal line and the 25 and have it count as a touchback, placing the ball at the 25. This simply increases the number of touchbacks and it takes out a HUGE advantage by the teams with good kickers and sound strategy. Pinning kicks inside the five near the sideline could then be fair caught. I hate this rule for that reason, and really hope they don't implement it. But, because they're so concerned with head injuries (or at least good PR of looking concerned) this rule will probably be implemented.
Nightmare scenario for the first proposal: Team is down 2, driving at the end of the 4th quarter, no timeouts remaining. They throw a pass that would put them in field goal range, but not get them a first down. The receiver catches the ball in bounds with 9 seconds left, but it's ruled incomplete. The play is reviewed by the officials and it is determined that the receiver did catch the ball. While 9 seconds would have been plenty of time for that team to get back to the line to spike the ball and stop the clock, the run off takes the clock to 0 and the game is over.
This could only happen to one team: the Detroit Lions. Now, I know what you're thinking: "The Lions are an NFL team, and this is an NCAA rule, so that's impossible". Sure. However, have you considered these two words?
Detroit. Lions.
it does work both ways though. what if there is 3 sec on the clock in your situation when the guy is tackled a yard short? now, they review, you get your team ready to spike. then you kick a FG that you otherwise had no chance at. the clock would have run out.
not sure which is worse, but i would say it's the current rule. would hate to lose in either scenario.
the clock wouldn't stop in the first place if not for the review.
is that there were some teams that lost because of this. that is what usually triggers rule changes like this. although not perfect, i think this runoff gets the situation closer to what would have happened.
Was it Alabama or Georgia? Maybe Auburn...
i was lumping them together. a measurement that proves to be short could also give the offense a chance at another play they otherwise would not have had. imo, the same rule should apply.
Runoffs are dumb. Let the clock tick down normally.
Because then teams would still do what they do now: figure out how to kick it so it lands around the 2 yard line.
Or do what they are going to do as a result of this proposal: go for onside kicks more often. Because if this rule passes, and the opposing team is going to get it at the 25 yard line guaranteed, then why not take a gamble more often on the 25 yards of field position you'd lose on an on-side kick?
Because the the differnce between the 25 yard line and the 50 yard line as a starting position is HUGE. A defense has a much, much higher chance of stopping the offense if they start at the 25.
I get that, but I'm just saying that how these rule changes typically work. They put in a rule to try and stop one thing, and then coaches adapt to find an advantage. Happened with the current kickoff rule that was made to try and force more touchbacks. Coaches opted to kick it short to try and pin people.
So if you're going to force their hand and automatically give the other team the ball at the 25 for a traditional kick, you'll probably see a rise in things like squib kicks and some creative onside kicks. Especially if other teams are constantly expecting you to blast it deep for a fair catch. I think it would ultimately wind up introducing a lot more strategy into kickoffs.
And yet create some of the most memorable plays. It's an integral part of the game, man.
James Foug was an assassin and nobody in the world could pick him out of a lineup. James Foug, international man of mystery.
Makes sense, but I despise it. They tried to reward teams for taking touchbacks in the name of safety, but smart teams and coaches found an obvious loophole (a.k.a. Foug factor). This new rule actually removes a neat weapon and strategy that has added substantial enjoyment, particularly to Michigan fans. However, in the name of safety, and the commonly held belief that kickoff returns are arguably the highest risk play for injuries, this new rule would effectively decrease the number of returns. However, I have already found the next level loop hole: strategic high-bouncing deep squib kicks... Foug is already practicing/mastering them.
+1 for honesty!
no. just no. stop f*&king with the game.
How about if they start actually calling Kickoff Offsides? You know, that rule that's already on the books that says that nobody can cross the yard line that the ball is being kicked from until after the ball is kicked?
The 40 second play clock after a kickoff won't do anything, because there'll still be a media timeout after the change of possession ... so still 3 minutes, plus the 40 second play clock.
I checked the 5 1st half kickoffs in last year's U-M/PSU game ......... I chose that one because that's a game more prone to delay with it being an ABC game and them trying to always fit in their spots.
Anyway: 1 time the play was run within 40 seconds of the kickoff being dead. The other 4 it took over 45 seconds - up to a max of a 61 second delay.
If there are 12 kickoffs in a game and this move saves 10 seconds after each kickoff - that's 2 minutes.
I wish they would stop trying to fuck with kickoffs.
Regular kickoff is much more dangerous than onside kicks. The normal kickoff (and therefore also normal kick return) is the most dangerous play in every football game. I also don't think they should eliminate it.
Are there actual stats that back this up, or have we simply been told for so long that it seems intuitive? Serious question - I don't recall any more injuries on kickoffs than I do on the 200 hundred other plays in a typical game. I mean, it seems more dangerous, but I've never seen any stat that definitively lays it out.
No thanks. I'm still bitter about that
Kurt Taylor and Zach Gentry form a mega person
I am the Special Teams Coodinator for a high school in Michigan, so I LOVE to nerd out on Special Teams talk. I honestly think the proposed kickoff rule is good. Kickoffs are one of the most high impact plays in football. Since I love football, I am in favor of rules that protect kids' brains, even if it makes my job harder. The 25 yard line is still not an overly favorable position for the offense. My goal as ST coordinator is to make the opposing offense drive 70 yards or more to score. The odds are much more in my favor if they're average startiong positon their 25 yard line or better.