Potential 2013 Rule Changes

[IndyBison]

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/...seless+players

Please note these are not final and approved. There are often changes from the committee recommendation to the oversight panel. Here is a summary of the key changes proposed:

• Add ejection to the penalty if a player targets a defenseless opponent above the shoulders
• Further reduction of low blocks (appears they may be moving closer to HS rule and low blocks only allowed in close line play immediately after the snap)
• 10 second run-off if a player is injured in last 1 minute of a half (if the injury is the only reason the clock was stopped)
• To require teams to have either their jersey or pants contrast in color to the playing field - call this the Boise State or EWU rule
• There must be at least 3 seconds remaining on the clock (presumably at the snap) in order for a team to successfully spike the ball to stop the clock

[Bison Dan]

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/...seless+players

Please note these are not final and approved. There are often changes from the committee recommendation to the oversight panel. Here is a summary of the key changes proposed:

• Add ejection to the penalty if a player targets a defenseless opponent above the shoulders
• Further reduction of low blocks (appears they may be moving closer to HS rule and low blocks only allowed in close line play immediately after the snap)
• 10 second run-off if a player is injured in last 1 minute of a half (if the injury is the only reason the clock was stopped)
• To require teams to have either their jersey or pants contrast in color to the playing field - call this the Boise State or EWU rule
• There must be at least 3 seconds remaining on the clock (presumably at the snap) in order for a team to successfully spike the ball to stop the clock

I have no problem with the ejection but I'd like a video review before the ejection so it's real and not some official making a mistake.

[IzzyFlexion]

I find it amusing that the first 2 rules appear to be based on further measures to protect players. Then.....BOOM! The next rule essentially assumes that teams and/or players fake injuries in order to gain an advantage based on the game clock.

And...........still nothing about holding an offensive player accountable for pushing on a defender's helmet so hard that it's often ripped from his head. OH NO! THAT"S NOT POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS AT ALL.....

[IndyBison]

I have no problem with the ejection but I'd like a video review before the ejection so it's real and not some official making a mistake.

If you read the release they do say a review can be initiated if the player is ejected to make sure it was correct. It doesn't say they will reverse the 15-yard penalty though so we are very curious on that. The NBA has something similar for their flagrant fouls but they remain fouls. If replay determines the hit wasn't above the shoulder they will take away the ejection but will they also take away the foul? And those of us who work at the D2 or D3 level (or regular season FCS) don't have replay.

[IndyBison]

I find it amusing that the first 2 rules appear to be based on further measures to protect players. Then.....BOOM! The next rule essentially assumes that teams and/or players fake injuries in order to gain an advantage based on the game clock.

And...........still nothing about holding an offensive player accountable for pushing on a defender's helmet so hard that it's often ripped from his head. OH NO! THAT"S NOT POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS AT ALL.....

As we saw with the Beyonce stills from her halftime show, still pictures don't tell the whole story. If the stiff arm grasps and twists the facemask, you have a foul. If the stiff arm is long and sustained and causes the head to jerk back, it is a foul. This is the same whether it is a running back on a defender or interior line play. The second picture definitely looks like it was or should have been a foul since he dislodged the helmet that much (most likely a sustained act).

As for contact that's "so hard it's often ripped from his head," players are still wearing their helmets so loose they are popping off at the slightest contact. Last year's rule change didn't seem to significantly correct this. There was talk of adding a 5-yard penalty to the player having to leave for a down but it doesn't appear it made the list. If a guy can slide his helmet back on with one hand it is too loose but you see it all the time.

[IzzyFlexion]

As we saw with the Beyonce stills from her halftime show, still pictures don't tell the whole story. If the stiff arm grasps and twists the facemask, you have a foul. If the stiff arm is long and sustained and causes the head to jerk back, it is a foul. This is the same whether it is a running back on a defender or interior line play. The second picture definitely looks like it was or should have been a foul since he dislodged the helmet that much (most likely a sustained act).

As for contact that's "so hard it's often ripped from his head," players are still wearing their helmets so loose they are popping off at the slightest contact. Last year's rule change didn't seem to significantly correct this. There was talk of adding a 5-yard penalty to the player having to leave for a down but it doesn't appear it made the list. If a guy can slide his helmet back on with one hand it is too loose but you see it all the time.

OK. How many times did that get flagged last year? If it's more than 10, I'll stop obsessing over it. I didn't watch a whole lot of college ball last fall, but I never saw it called. If it is more than 10, I would bet a shit load of cash that at least 90% of these called penalties involved interior lineman and not ball carriers.

[IndyBison]

OK. How many times did that get flagged last year? If it's more than 10, I'll stop obsessing over it. I didn't watch a whole lot of college ball last fall, but I never saw it called. If it is more than 10, I would bet a shit load of cash that at least 90% of these called penalties involved interior lineman and not ball carriers.

No idea. I called it twice in one game but both were interior linemen (one offense and one defense). I rarely watch the ball carrier. I know we had a face mask foul on a runner. It probably doesn't get called as often as it should but it does get called. There are many more instances though where coaches, players, and fans think it should be called but it wasn't a foul.

[bisonaudit]

What's the deal with the can't spike the ball w/ less than 3 seconds to play proposal? What problem is this trying to solve?

[IndyBison]

What's the deal with the can't spike the ball w/ less than 3 seconds to play proposal? What problem is this trying to solve?

I don't know. I never heard any issues in the past. One thought is whether or not the clock should stop the instant the ball hits the ground. The rule that allows the spike is an exception to the intentionally grounding rule so maybe they are wanting to not give so much leeway when the clock is about to expire. Some speculation I've read is this will only apply if the clock was stopped for a penalty enforcement or to move the chains and will start on the ready for play. We'll know more when we see the actual wording of the rule.

[TAILG8R]

I don't know. I never heard any issues in the past. One thought is whether or not the clock should stop the instant the ball hits the ground. The rule that allows the spike is an exception to the intentionally grounding rule so maybe they are wanting to not give so much leeway when the clock is about to expire. Some speculation I've read is this will only apply if the clock was stopped for a penalty enforcement or to move the chains and will start on the ready for play. We'll know more when we see the actual wording of the rule.

Is this similar to a few years back when the NFL decided they were just going to take X sec off the clock for field goals? That way there was no home cooking with the game clock and no arguing over whether there should be a few seconds left on the clock to force a kickoff. My question is, are they concerned about home field clock operators letting their team get the spike in before 0?