Hail to the Victors Valiant
02-14-2007, 04:39 PM
By Steve Wieberg, USA TODAY
College football's rules makers shifted direction Wednesday in their efforts to speed up games.
Gone are controversial changes a year ago that quickened clock starts on kickoffs and possession changes, shaving 14 minutes off the average game length but requiring team sprints to the field and line of scrimmage to avoid penalty.
Among the changes for 2007 are one moving kickoffs from the 35-yard line to the 30 to reduce the number of clock-killing touchbacks and another limiting replay reviews to two minutes. The moves should come close to saving the same 14 minutes a game, the NCAA said.
"The changes we made last year, overall, did not have a positive effect," said Michael Clark, football coach at Division III Bridgewater (Va.) College and chairman of the NCAA rules committee.
"Last year's game lost too many plays, but it accomplished the need to shorten the overall time it takes to play a game," Clark said. "The changes we have made for 2007 balance both of these issues."
The '06 changes started the clock on kickoffs rather than when the receiving team touched the ball and, after a change in possession, restarted it as soon as the ball was ready for play rather than on the ensuing snap.
The average length of major-college games was pared from 3 hours, 21 minutes in 2005 to 3:07 last season. With that came about 13 fewer plays, 66 fewer offensive yards and five fewer points a game — raising concern that previously set team and individual records couldn't be approached.
In addition to the new kickoff spot and replay time limit, the committee approved:
•Paring the play clock to 15 seconds after TV timeouts.
•Shortening team-called timeouts by 30 seconds.
•Allowing kickoff penalties against the kicking team to be assessed at the end of the runback, avoiding a rekick.
•Starting the play clock before kickoffs and other free kicks when the ball is handed to the kicker.
The changes must be endorsed by the NCAA's playing rules oversight panel, which meets March 12.
College football's rules makers shifted direction Wednesday in their efforts to speed up games.
Gone are controversial changes a year ago that quickened clock starts on kickoffs and possession changes, shaving 14 minutes off the average game length but requiring team sprints to the field and line of scrimmage to avoid penalty.
Among the changes for 2007 are one moving kickoffs from the 35-yard line to the 30 to reduce the number of clock-killing touchbacks and another limiting replay reviews to two minutes. The moves should come close to saving the same 14 minutes a game, the NCAA said.
"The changes we made last year, overall, did not have a positive effect," said Michael Clark, football coach at Division III Bridgewater (Va.) College and chairman of the NCAA rules committee.
"Last year's game lost too many plays, but it accomplished the need to shorten the overall time it takes to play a game," Clark said. "The changes we have made for 2007 balance both of these issues."
The '06 changes started the clock on kickoffs rather than when the receiving team touched the ball and, after a change in possession, restarted it as soon as the ball was ready for play rather than on the ensuing snap.
The average length of major-college games was pared from 3 hours, 21 minutes in 2005 to 3:07 last season. With that came about 13 fewer plays, 66 fewer offensive yards and five fewer points a game — raising concern that previously set team and individual records couldn't be approached.
In addition to the new kickoff spot and replay time limit, the committee approved:
•Paring the play clock to 15 seconds after TV timeouts.
•Shortening team-called timeouts by 30 seconds.
•Allowing kickoff penalties against the kicking team to be assessed at the end of the runback, avoiding a rekick.
•Starting the play clock before kickoffs and other free kicks when the ball is handed to the kicker.
The changes must be endorsed by the NCAA's playing rules oversight panel, which meets March 12.