NCAA Football Rules Changes for 2008
April 14th, 2008 by Vince Mullins
Like turning down a drunken advance from Cindy Crawford because of that mole, the NCAA again dismisses the already beautiful game in a quest for unattainable perfection.
Was anyone complaining that the games are too long?
Methinks only people in the stands when CBS or FOX broadcasts since those games tend to be about ten minutes longer than others.
Here is a quick recap of the rule changes:
- After a play goes out-of-bounds, the ready for play signal upon spotting the ball will also signal the clock to start. This rule is lifted in the last two minutes of each half. (this one should cause fewer plays per game).
- The 40/25-second play clock, which was approved last year, will go into effect. After every play is whistled dead, the 40-second clock will start. When there is a stoppage of play, a 25-second play clock will be used. Previously, only a 25-second play clock was used and it did not start until the ball was marked ready for play.
- A coach gets an another replay challenge if his first one is successful, up to a max of 2 challenges per game. Coaches in the past had only one challenge per game.
- The facemask penalty is now only a 15-yard penalty – no more 5-yard incidentals. The motivation must have been to eliminate judgment calls for the refs, so we should expect only particularly violent facemasks to be called.
- Horse collar tackles are now illegal in college (see Williams, Roy of the Dallas Cowboys) and classified as a 15-yard personal foul.
- The receiving team may take the ball on its 40-yard line on kickoffs that go out of bounds or have them rekick. Previously it was the 35.
- No more sideline or bench warnings – it is now strictly a penalty.
Clock will still stop after a first down, so perhaps the motivation is not to make the game shorter because changing this rule to mirror the NFL would have the most effect.
My take? I do not expect much of an effect, certainly not as much as the NCAA implemented in 2006. But as the Old Ball Coach says in the AJC article below, the no-huddle teams should have an advantage. So get ready Big Ten because Michigan, Northwestern Indiana, Illinois and Purdue will be snapping the ball with 30 seconds on the play clock!
Sources
Wizard of Odds
Atlanta-Journal Constitution
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