[NU Sports] Football Rule changes for 2012

[Jonathan Hodges]

Responses below:


On Fri, Feb 24, 2012 at 3:40 PM, Dennis W. Brandt <tbng at comcast.net> wrote:

>  The NCAA will join the NFL in in 2012 in moving kickoffs from the 30 to
>> the 35 yard line.
>>
>
> It isn't a good rule in the NFL, and it isn't a good rule in the NCAA
> either.


It's interesting that back in 2006, the NCAA moved kickoffs back to the 30
after being at the 35 forever.  At the time the NFL was at the 30.  This
change was mostly made as a package with other changes to reduce game time
(this reduced touchbacks and therefore made sure that the cock ran off some
time on kickoffs); some of those other timing changes were later removed
but this one remained.  Also, I'm sure alignment with the NFL had something
to do with it.

When the NFL moved kickoffs up to the 35 this year to try and increase
touchbacks and thereby prevent some injuries, I knew the NCAA wouldn't be
far behind.

This is a very interesting topic as studies have shown that there are more
injuries on kickoffs with players running full tilt at each other than on
other types of plays, and there is room to change the rules without overly
affecting the game on kickoffs (clearly what they are trying to do).  I
enjoy watching great returns and understand their value and excitement but
also want to prevent injury; I am honestly not sure what to think about
this.

>
>
>  However, the NCAA will also move touchbacks to the 25 instead of the 20.
>> ESPN says is suppposed to  encourage more touchbacks.  That may be true
>> for
>> the receiving team, but if that affects field goals as well as kickoffs,
>> it isn't clear how that will affect kicking team decision making.
>>
>
> Encourage more touchbacks?  How?  Since the kicking team is five yards
> closer and there is essentially a five-yard penalty for kicking the ball
> into the endzone, I suspect strategy will be to kick to the goal line since
> they have five yards less to reach the ball carrier.  While the NCAA may
> look to reduce injuries on kickoffs, I think they've encouraged more
> contact.  If they want to eliminate injuries on kickoffs, then let's just
> let the other team start on the 25-yard line after a score.  Might as well
> completely discourage one of the most exciting plays in football.


It is supposed to encourage more touchbacks by enticing the receiving team
to take a knee instead of try and take it out of the end zone.  Look at the
NFL this year (with kickoffs from the 35), where return men are taking it
out from deep (5+ yards) into the end zone where many never even thought of
doing so before.  The NCAA clearly saw this and decided to try and entice
the receiving team to take a knee for the touchback.

I am not sure the strategy we'll see kicking teams employ, but those extra
5 yards for the touchback may be enough to get them to kick short of the
goal line.  We'll have to wait and see what the return/touchback ratio is
for the NCAA compared to the NFL after the recent changes compared to what
they were before to really see.

Regarding elimination of the kickoff, like I said before this is an
interesting area and I could see the argument for elimination of the
kickoff - which many proposed after the LeGrande injury at Rutgers
recently.  We'll see if these changes reduce the injury rate; if they
don't, I think we could see the eventual elimination of kickoffs.


>
>
>  A rule I have favored for a while has also been passed.  A player whose
>> helmet comes off during a play must leave the game for one play.
>>
>
> Why if he's not hurt?


To encourage players to securely fasten their helmets, which apparently
isn't happening well enough as it is.  Also, a helmet coming off could end
up equating to a free timeout or stoppage in play and this treats this
situation the same as an injury where there is some consequence for
stopping play.


>
>
>  Also, players cannot leap over blockers when trying to block punts.
>>
>
> If a guy has the skill to leap over the other team's players without
> assistance, so what?  If the blocker is flat on the ground, the rusher has
> to go around him?
>
> The NCAA rules committee has WAY too much free time on its hands.


All this rule does is bring in the same rule as is in place for a field
goal try: defensive players are not allowed to get a running start and try
to leap over a player.  There is a significantly higher chance of injury
(to the leaping player and any player he may hit while landing) so I can
see limiting this.  If a player is laying on the ground, the rushing player
should be able to go over him in stride without leaping (both feet
simultaneously leaving the ground).  And if a player is strong enough he
can still just plain bowl over the blocker or shove him out of the way.

IMHO, it's tough to lambast the rules committee for these changes as they
are all done to address injury.  It's nice to see when administrators and
the NCAA implement changes to directly benefit students (this to prevent
injury, and the recently upheld multi-year scholarship allowance).

Jonathan


--
Jonathan Hodges
Contributor, HailToPurple
Web: http://www.hailtopurple.com/jhodges/
Twitter: @hailtopurple
Email: j-hodges at alumni.northwestern.edu

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