[jcmanson]

Supposed changes to the changes that were made last year to the timing of the game. I hope it goes through.

NCAA rules committee proposes reworking football time-saving rules
Updated 2/14/2007 6:32 PM ET E-mail | Save | Print | Reprints & Permissions | Subscribe to stories like this



By Steve Wieberg, USA TODAY
Upon review ... college football's rules-makers found evidence to overturn last season's controversial efforts to speed up games.
Too many plays and too much on-the-field action were lost. Coaches hated the moves, which quickened clock starts on kickoffs and possession changes. And so the NCAA's football rules committee shifted direction Wednesday, throwing them out and approving a series of ostensibly more subtle time-saving measures.

One, mirroring the NFL, moves kickoffs from the 35-yard line to the 30 to reduce the number of clock-killing touchbacks. Another limits replay reviews to two minutes.

The moves should save close to the 14 minutes that last year's changes shaved from the average major-college game time, the NCAA said.

If endorsed by the association's Playing Rules Oversight Panel next month, they'll go into effect next season.

"We're comfortable with the decision we've made now," said Michael Clark, coach at Division III Bridgewater (Va.) College and chairman of the rules committee. "I think we've got a balance with the idea that we are attacking dead and elapsed time in a game while securing playing time not just for the players but for the fans."

The '06 changes, he said, "overall did not have a positive effect on college football at all levels."

Oregon coach Mike Bellotti, another member of the 13-man panel, said the new measures "have restored the opportunity for football players to play football."

Last year's revisions started the clock on kickoffs rather than when the receiving team touched the ball and, after a change in possession, restarted the clock as soon as the ball was ready for play rather than on the ensuing snap.

They were effective. The average length of major-college games was pared from 3:21 in 2005 to 3:07 last season. With that, however, came about 13 fewer plays, 66 fewer offensive yards and five fewer points a game, raising complaints that it was too large a bite and secondary concern that previously set team and individual records couldn't be approached.

Coaches in each of the NCAA's four competitive levels called for rescission of the changes.

In addition to responding with the new 30-yard line spot for kickoffs and two-minute replay time limit, the rules committee approved:

• Paring the 25-second play clock to 15 seconds after TV timeouts.

• Shortening teams' three allotted timeouts per half by 30 seconds each, from 1:25 to 55 seconds.

• Allowing penalties against the kicking team on kickoffs to be assessed at the end of the runback, avoiding a re-kick.

• Starting the play clock before kickoffs and other free kicks as soon as the official hands the ball to the kicker.

• Encouraging coaches, officials, game management personnel and TV carriers "to manage the game in a more efficient manner."

Another change will go into effect in 2008, though not as an intended a time-saver. The NCAA will adopt the NFL's 40-second play clock, which starts immediately after the previous play is blown dead. The colleges' current 25-second clock starts when the ball is placed down and ready for play (which will continue after, say, the clock is stopped after a first down).

The move is designed "to achieve a more uniform pace of play" in college and pro ball, the NCAA said.

[Libertine]

Last year's revisions started the clock on kickoffs rather than when the receiving team touched the ball and, after a change in possession, restarted the clock as soon as the ball was ready for play rather than on the ensuing snap.

Coaches in each of the NCAA's four competitive levels called for rescission of the changes.

I'll be thrilled if they get rid of that.

the rules committee approved:

• Paring the 25-second play clock to 15 seconds after TV timeouts.

This would have much more effect on FBS teams than FCS, largely b/c so many fewer FCS games are televised. Teams are also usually standing at the line of scrimmage waiting for the "red hat" to clear the field anyway.

• Shortening teams' three allotted timeouts per half by 30 seconds each, from 1:25 to 55 seconds.

I like this one. The coach spends most of those last 30 seconds repeating what he said in the first 30 anyway.

• Allowing penalties against the kicking team on kickoffs to be assessed at the end of the runback, avoiding a re-kick.

I like this one, too. Most of the penalties that would currently require a re-kick are procedure penalties. Just give 'em the 5 yards and let's go.

• Starting the play clock before kickoffs and other free kicks as soon as the official hands the ball to the kicker.

I don't know about this one. I can see pros and cons to it. I'd have to see how it played out.

• Encouraging coaches, officials, game management personnel and TV carriers "to manage the game in a more efficient manner."

OK. We'll stop faking injuries. And cut out halftime.

[PAmedic]

• Starting the play clock before kickoffs and other free kicks as soon as the official hands the ball to the kicker.

I have an issue with that one as well.

You're up by 4 w/ 45 seconds to play and kicking off to the opponent.

You're handed the ball, the clock starts.

Whoops! it fell off the tee.

Whoops! it did it again

Whoopsie Daisy! Third time (opposing coach is Greg-Marshall-purple at this point)

clock runs out. Shucks.

[TDDance234]

45 seconds is more than enough time to get the ball down, have it fall of once and have it reset. A second time would be disasterous, though.

[jcmanson]

I think that would be the play clock not the game clock, thus the :45 seconds left on the game clock wouldn't even start until the ball was touched into play.

[PAmedic]

good point JC.

re-reading it looks like you're dead on.

a shame- I worked really hard on all those emoticons.

[Libertine]

The thing I don't like about starting the clock when the kicker gets the ball is that, right now, the clock doesn't start until the receiving team is set. If you start the clock by giving the kicker the ball then there's nothing to keep him from getting the ball down and doing a "fast kickoff" before the receiving team is ready. I can just see some team sending out a kickoff team with 2 kickers, one to get the ball and put it down and the other to bang it away as soon as it touches the tee. The downside of that would be a ton of procedure penalties that would nullify field position on both sides and negate the time you saved from starting the clock early.

[PAmedic]

I can just see some team sending out a kickoff team with 2 kickers, one to get the ball and put it down and the other to bang it away as soon as it touches the tee.

"thats so crazy it just might work"