Proposed Rule Changes

[CalBison97]

They are encouraging less, to make the game more safe. It will just take more finesse on the kickers part.

The NCAA and the NFL should stop wasting our time and eliminate kickoffs altogether. Waiting for the t.v. timeout to end, kickoff, another t.v. timeout, then the offense trots out, etc. Offenses start with the ball at the 25 or so, just like at the pee-wee level.

[CalBison97]

If the goal is to increase safety then do away with pads and lets just play flag football.

It's probably more realistic than you think. Let's just hope the family of Dave Duerson and the rest of the former NFL players do not win their lawsuits against the NFL. This could be the beginning of the end of football as lawsuits will undoubtedly trickle down to the universities, high schools, and pop warner leagues.

[riceweb]

The NCAA and the NFL should stop wasting our time and eliminate kickoffs altogether. Waiting for the t.v. timeout to end, kickoff, another t.v. timeout, then the offense trots out, etc. Offenses start with the ball at the 25 or so, just like at the pee-wee level.

I agree that it's a huge waste of time right now. The CFL adopted a similar rule (though they have the rouge point, so the motivations are a bit different). At some point, the NCAA/NFL should either excise the remaining components from rugby or align closer with rugby; as it stands, some rules just don't make any sense. Why even have, for instance, a rule about drop kicks?

Anyway, yes, they should eliminate the kickoff and speed up the game.

[Bisonwinagn]

I agree that it's a huge waste of time right now. The CFL adopted a similar rule (though they have the rouge point, so the motivations are a bit different). At some point, the NCAA/NFL should either excise the remaining components from rugby or align closer with rugby; as it stands, some rules just don't make any sense. Why even have, for instance, a rule about drop kicks?

Anyway, yes, they should eliminate the kickoff and speed up the game.

Rule changes will never speed up the game because networks need a certain number of TV timeouts and will find a way to take them.

[IndyBison]

Kicks will be moved to the 35-yard line.

Also, touchbacks on kickoffs will be moved to the 25-yard line.

I personally don't mind the first, but think the second is stupid...Why would a team want to give the opponent better field position than before? I think kickers should just try to get it to the 1-yard line and let the returner try and make it to the 25.

The reason is because it's not that easy to aim the ball to land between the goal line and the 5. Many of the NFL teams tried this unsuccessfully.

this is a stupid new rule that clearly did nothing in the nfl.

It actually had a significant impact on the number of touchbacks. They increased from 16% to 45% in 2011. It didn't eliminate it like many predicted but it did greatly reduce the number of returns. The NFL toyed with changing the succeeding spot for touchbacks to the 25 but kept it at the 20. Once teams realized they could likely get the ball past the 20 on a kick in the end zone, you saw more returners do it. The reason they were able to do this is the kicking team didn't have as much of a head start. The NCAA rule did the same thing. By moving the touchback spot to the 25, they will reduce the number of returns even more because the reward for taking a knee is greater.

[missingnumber7]

It actually had a significant impact on the number of touchbacks. They increased from 16% to 45% in 2011. It didn't eliminate it like many predicted but it did greatly reduce the number of returns. The NFL toyed with changing the succeeding spot for touchbacks to the 25 but kept it at the 20. Once teams realized they could likely get the ball past the 20 on a kick in the end zone, you saw more returners do it. The reason they were able to do this is the kicking team didn't have as much of a head start. The NCAA rule did the same thing. By moving the touchback spot to the 25, they will reduce the number of returns even more because the reward for taking a knee is greater.

And it won't punish teams who bring in amazing athletes who can run back kicks by mandating no KO returns. IMHO I see more directional kicking and higher kicks for teams that know how to cover kicks and trust their kickers to not kick the ball out of bounds. Put some air underneath it and let them field it between the 5 and goalline. If your guys get down there to stop them inside the 20 more power to you. Especially against teams with sub par returners.

[IndyBison]

And it won't punish teams who bring in amazing athletes who can run back kicks by mandating no KO returns. IMHO I see more directional kicking and higher kicks for teams that know how to cover kicks and trust their kickers to not kick the ball out of bounds. Put some air underneath it and let them field it between the 5 and goalline. If your guys get down there to stop them inside the 20 more power to you. Especially against teams with sub par returners.

This is what the NFL kickers tried to do early this season and they found it was harder than they thought. I doubt we'll see too many college kickers that can do it better. You may see more high kicks like you describe but they'll have less control over whether it will come down at the 5 or the 20.

[missingnumber7]

This is what the NFL kickers tried to do early this season and they found it was harder than they thought. I doubt we'll see too many college kickers that can do it better. You may see more high kicks like you describe but they'll have less control over whether it will come down at the 5 or the 20.

Jastram would kick from the opposite hash and did several times put it between the 10 and 2-3 yards in the EZ. I know that with the narrow NFL hash marks it doesn't make much difference and returners were bringing balls that were 5-7 yards deep, especially established returners. It really doesn't kill you if your punter or kicker isn't great at kickoffs at this point. Just need air underneath it to give your coverage teams time to get down field.

The one thing I noticed in the NFL this year is the lack of commitment to lane integrity on kick returns. I am wondering if that had something to do with the 5 yard rule.