NCAA's new rules this season

[Baby Arm!]

Saw this on the Texas board. (added some more editorial comment of my own)

(1.) Instant replay -Coaches will be given the right to challenge one call per game, and request that it be reviewed by instant replay. If the play is overturned, they will not be charged a timeout. (College football trying to be more like the NFL..)

(2.) Players will be allowed to wear clear eye shields but only without any tinting. Opponents must be able to see everybody's eyes. (Didn't the NFL pass this rule about 10 years ago? See above comment)

(3.) Halftime intermissions will be shortened from 30 minutes to 20 minutes, unless both sides desire the 30 minutes. (This is to try and speed up the game. Has this really been a problem? How long do you think this rule will last once ESPN realizes they just lost 10 minutes of airtime to sell commericals. )

(4.) When the ball is free kicked (eg., kickoffs) the clock will start when the ball is kicked and not when a player touches it. ( I think this just gave teams that score late and taking a lead a bigger advantage. They can now take a few extra seconds off the clock and away from any comeback bids)

(5.) The kickers' tee is shortened from two inches to one inch, to reduce the number of touchbacks. (Glad we just inked a good kicker, what I saw in spring drills from the kicking game wasn't pretty. Tackling on special teams just got much more important.)

Your thoughts, on these changes?

Edited July 4, 2006 by Baby Arm!

[mdmeangreen]

Though not completely necessary, these are in large part good rules, especially the shields. How many touchbacks were there in the college game to justify the 1 inch tee anyway?

[SilverEagle]

All these years I've assumed that players wore the tinted shields to protect their eyes from the glare of the sun/stadium lights. What else would they wear tinted shields for?

[Dookie]

You can no longer wear tinted shields for medical reasons. If the player gets knocked out on the field, the medical personnel needs to see their eyes as they approach the player. With a tinted mask, this is not possible. This rule was pushed for and passed due to safety reasons.

[UNTLifer]

You can no longer wear tinted shields for medical reasons.  If the player gets knocked out on the field, the medical personnel needs to see their eyes as they approach the player.  With a tinted mask, this is not possible.  This rule was pushed for and passed due to safety reasons.

←

Kind of like after a motorcycle accident. The EMT's won't know what to do if they can't see the victim's eyes as they approach. Sorry, I'm not trying to minimize the care of players with head injuries, but can't they just cut the visors off when they attend to him?

[Arkstfan]

Kind of like after a motorcycle accident.  The EMT's won't know what to do if they can't see the victim's eyes as they approach.  Sorry, I'm not trying to minimize the care of players with head injuries, but can't they just cut the visors off when they attend to him?

←

Not until they get a collar on them. After they get the collar on and cut the shield off so they can see the kid's eyes they may learn by seeing them that they probably don't need the collar but now you've just put a neck collar on an injured kid in front of his parents and multi-thousands of people when a clear eyeshield could have avoided that.

Likewise do you want a kid with serious head injury where seconds count having that precious time wasted while the shield is being removed?

I can't believe they've waited so long to pass that rule, besides some coaches argue that tinted shields provide an advantage because a defender can't see your eyes.

[emmitt01]

I can't believe they've waited so long to pass that rule, besides some coaches argue that tinted shields provide an advantage because a defender can't see your eyes.

Shouldn't defenders be a bit more worried about seeing your hips (or not ending up seeing your backside) when they're trying to tackle you?

[good_ken]

Shouldn't defenders be a bit more worried about seeing your hips (or not ending up seeing your backside) when they're trying to tackle you?

I don't think that's right. Its my understanding that the defenders need to say a players eyes. Thats why so many previous UNT quarterbacks closed their eyes while throwing; to fool the defenses.

[FirefightnRick]

Kind of like after a motorcycle accident.  The EMT's won't know what to do if they can't see the victim's eyes as they approach. 

←

LOL! I promise you that when responding to donorcycle wrecks EMT's usually don't need to see the rider's eyes to know exactly what needs to be done with them upon approach.

Rick

[MeanMag]

All these years I've assumed that players wore the tinted shields to protect their eyes from the glare of the sun/stadium lights. What else would they wear tinted shields for?

←

A lot of players wore them to conceal their eyes from the opponents, so that they couldn't get a read of which way they were going. Seems like a bunch of the Texas defenders usually LB's used to wear them.

[gksmith]

1. Instant replay: The college game is a lot faster then it used to be. While refs get it right 90%+ of the time, we've seen one play effect the outcome of a big game.

2. Never knew there was a problem with the shields.

3. 20 minutes...less time to stand in line for food at halftime.

4. I think that could be bad when time is of the essence. I can see it now...:03 seconds left. Kick the ball and there is a touchback. :03 runs off the clock and the other team gets no play (unless the rule is that the clock starts when the ball is touched w/in the last 2 minutes of each half).

5. Put the ball in play more. NCAA ran into that in the late 70's or so when there were kickers who could hit FGs from 60+ yards away and kick the ball into the upper deck on kickoffs. aTm and TU had the two best kickers that season.

[the green rokemi]

They need a clarification on the fair catch/"I'm just shielding my eyes" rule

[GangGreen]

3. 20 minutes...less time to stand in line for food at halftime.

←

Got that one wrong, gk. Less time for GangGreen and Pollock to slam beer in the parking lot.

[gksmith]

Got that one wrong, gk. Less time for GangGreen and Pollock to slam beer in the parking lot.

←

No. I mean that you have less time to stand in line to get your food. Meaning you might be stuck in line when the second half kickoff starts.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

---Band directors will never go for the 20 min half-time especially when both bands show-up and have half-time shows.

[Purple & Green]

(3.) Halftime intermissions will be shortened from 30 minutes to 20 minutes, unless both sides desire the 30 minutes.  (This is to try and speed up the game.  Has this really been a problem?  How long do you think this rule will last once ESPN realizes they just lost 10 minutes of airtime to sell commericals. )

Your thoughts, on these changes?

←

Halftime intermissions in NCAA games have BEEN 20 minutes, unless extended or shortened by mutual agreement. Whoever said they were 30 minutes was wrong. When the officials left the field at halftime, 20 minutes were put on the clock. The Referee would then wind the clock after all team members, coaches, and officials had left the field.

[eleazar]

(2.) Players will be allowed to wear clear eye shields but only without any tinting.  Opponents must be able to see everybody's eyes.  (Didn't the NFL pass this rule about 10 years ago?  See above comment) 

I haven't seen anything about the tinted shields in the NFL. I could be wrong, but if I am, is LT getting a pass on that rule? He was the first guy I thought of...

Edited July 10, 2006 by eleazar