NCAA committee officially recommends rules changes

Football Insider Board
#1

Which will need to be adopted by the rules committee next month, but that isn’t expected to be an issue.

The same ones that came up the other day:

  • Run the clock after first downs except in the last two minutes of the half.
  • No consecutive timeouts by the same team.
  • A penalty at the end of the first or third quarter will be enforced at the start of the next quarter instead of an untimed down.

This is expected to shorten games by about 8 minutes and 8 plays (the average CFB game last year had 180 plays including special teams). Part of the impetus is to reduce “exposures,” meaning the number of chances players have to get hurt. With CFP finalists going to play 16 or 17 games under the new format, they needed to do something in the other direction for player safety.

#2

I think running the clock after first downs would be a good thing, it does not hurt the pro game a bit. In addition to shortening the game, the change eliminates one other thing that can go wrong (stopping/starting clock on time or at all) that leads to stoppages and replay reviews.

#3

By the way, the average NFL game is 155 plays, or exposures if you will. So CFB will still have more plays than the pros.

#4

Why stop the clock in the last two minues. Is that not giving the possessor an advantage?

#5

I think the rationale on that is giving more time/opportunity for trailing teams to come back.

#6

I assume that, but what is fair about giving one team more oportunity than the other team?

#7

I don’t really mind the changes, except it won’t shorten the games. TV will just add in 8 more min of commercials.

4 Likes
#8

Probably on to something there… I think a 30 sec slot for commercials during the Superbowl cost 7 to 8 million dollars this year. Now granted, your average college game is not a Superbowl so even if the price drops to just 1 million, that’s an extra 16 million per college game for the networks…

So yeah… I’m sure its about the money… never been about player safety. Player Safety is just the bit of candy topping they like to wrap changes in to make it easier to feed it to everyone.

Is that a jaded opinion… yeah… but its just the way things are these days.

#9

I’ve always thought the easiest way to shorten the game is limit an official review to 60-90 seconds. If they can’t figure it out by then then call stands.

#10

The opportunity is there for both teams. Just get the ball in the last two minutes. Or one in each half.

#11

I mainly just see no reason to change the rules for two minutes.
I also do not understand putting a runner on second base in extra innings.
I feel all these changes are for one reason. TV money

But I realize there is nothing new in money ruling things.
If I had some, I might change my mind.