Good Summary of New Rules Changes

[Po Monkey Lounger]

It's about time, committee saysBy WENDELL BARNHOUSE
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Like sands through the hour glass, so flows the soap opera that could envelop this college football season. Two new rules designed to shorten the length of games could have a major impact on how the games are played.

Rule 3-2-5 says the clock will start on kickoffs when toe meets leather. Rule 3-2-5e says the referee will wind the game clock on changes of possession when the ball is marked ready for play.

The NCAA football rules committee believes the changes will shorten game times by as much as 10 minutes and will reduce the number of offensive plays by between 10 and 20 per game.

Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer says the new rules are "the most significant change we've had in our game in a long, long time."

Oregon coach Mike Bellotti and Florida coach Urban Meyer dislike the new rules:

"They are major and very severe, in my mind, and are going to change the game as we know it -- especially starting the game clock at the ready signal after change of possession," Bellotti said.

"I'm extremely disappointed in that rule," Meyer said. "Statistics, production will suffer. College football is basically America's game. I don't know why they want to change the game."

Why? Because games are running longer.

With improved offenses (which leads to more clock-stopping first downs and scoring), college football games can last longer than a miniseries.

Televised games in the six major conferences last season averaged from 3:18 (Big Ten) to 3:35 (Big 12).

The rules changes are designed to shave a few minutes here and there and reduce the average length of games.

Some coaches suspect television as the behind-the-scenes villain. A few years ago, the NFL changed some clock rules so that its games fit into a 3:15 window. NFL games averaged 3:09 last year.

"I don't like any rule that changes our game and makes us more like the NFL," Purdue coach Joe Tiller said. "I think we have a great product. We have a unique product. It's different than the NFL....Our fans understand our game and understand our rules. I don't think we need to change anything."

Coaches who prefer a wide-open offense (such as Bellotti and Meyer) are upset because fewer plays equal fewer chances to score. Hawaii coach June Jones estimates the new rules will cost his team two touchdowns per game.

Defensive coaches or coaches with less talent are happy with the rules.

"If you're the underdog, obviously you would like fewer plays in the game," South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said. "It can shorten the game."

The final minutes of a close game could become frenetic. Some of the issues:

After a long gain resulting in a first down, the chain crew in charge of the sideline markers will have to hustle into position so the referee can signal the clock to start.

Teams that substitute player personnel packages will have less time between plays.

A team trailing might have to call a timeout before the opposition runs its first play in order to keep the clock from running.

The infamous multi-lateral kickoff return by California to beat Stanford in 1982 might never be duplicated. Stanford squibbed the kick with four seconds on the clock. Under the new rule, a team could kick off backward and recover it or nudge the ball off the tee and recover it, running out the clock with either strategy.

Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville is a member of the NCAA rules committee.

"We were looking to...get away from some of these 3-hour, 45-minute games," he said.

"This is obviously an experiment. Anything we do in the rules committee can be changed next year."

IN THE KNOW

Clock watching

The changes in college football that will have an effect on the clock:

KICKS

New rule: Clock starts when ball is kicked on kickoffs.

Old rule: Clock didn't start until returner touched ball and didn't start at all on touchbacks.

Intent: Should burn 45 seconds to a minute off game clock; each game averaged just over 10 kickoffs last season.

Impact: With less than 10 seconds remaining, team kicking off could elect to kick the ball backward or just nudge the ball off the tee, then recover it to kill the time remaining.

POSSESSION

New rule: On changes of possession (punts, turnovers, failed fourth-down plays), the clock will start when the referee gives the "ready for play" signal.

Old rule: The clock didn't start until the offense snapped the ball.

Intent: Between 10 and 20 fewer plays will be run, which could shorten games by as much as 10 minutes.

Impact: Clock management, substitutions and how officials determine ready for play will be crucial, particularly in final minutes of close games.


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Wendell Barnhouse, 817-390-7760 wbarnhouse@star-telegram.com

[mshunter77]

The game was great the way it was leave it that way