So, the NCAA has moved the ball up another five yards to "ensure player safety".
I hate the rule. This is football, and one of the most exciting things in football is the kickoff return. I'd rather see a good return instead of another boring touchback.
Mixed feelings here. I'm glad that it generally results in a safe return or touchback so we don't have to worry about having it returned against us for a TD (we've had a lot of those the last couple years) but I also hate it for the same reasons you outlined. :)
One word: Dumb.
indeed, RAZR ... can you imagine if one Theodore Ginn, Jr. was playing & they implemented this rule ? OY VEY! I'd go nutso, being deprived of watching those returns.
"You win with people." - Woody Hayes
Hate it
"Love my State, hate the football"
Hate it
"Because the rules won't let you go for three." - Woody Hayes
THE Ohio State University
Understand what they're trying to do, but think they could've done better. I think by giving an extra 5 yards after a touchback, we will actually see more returns than in the past. It seemed like almost every kickoff Basil was trying to keep it short of the endzone (ensuring there would be a return), rather than blasting it through the endzone to avoid one. I think limiting the number of yards the coverage team can use to get a running start (ball kicked from the 35, players can't line up beyond the 30) was enough to make kickoffs safer.
Sucks, no fireworks on special teams!
Wherever you are, there you be!
Ruining the great game of football, shameful.
Hate it. I get the need for safety, but it's getting to the point where new rules are changing the game as we know it, and not in a good way. I don't buy that this helps safety much. While you may be a little bit more likely to get hurt on a kickoff return than a normal play, you can still get injured badly on a normal play. It's football - it's a violent game, and the people that play the game (should) know this - and if they don't like it, then don't play.
Class of 2010.
Didnt the ball used to be kicked off from the 35 then got moved to the 30 a few years ago? The worst part about the rule is the ball coming out to the 25. Speaking of rule changes i feel like players are pulling helmets off when they get the chance. I dont like the helmet rule at all.
Didn't they also change it so that you can only take a 5 yard run up to the ball on a kick off to lessen the momentum coming up on the return team?
Yes there are two Buckeyes in Ann arbor on this site!
It adds an element of strategy. Based on what I saw over the weekend, I don't think it lessened the number of returns. The five yard start may have lessened impacts. If a team isn't afraid of the returner, you kick to the corner & force a returner to either go up the sideline into stacked coverage or run laterally giving the coverage time to get to the ball. If you don't want to chance a return, kick it out of the end zone.
agreed NKOHL --- I don't like the 25 yard line implement of that rule...and the helmet rule is kind of strange, it's not like the referees are going to be able to determine who pulled the helmet off or if it just fell off, in every one of those situations, they should be more concerned about penalties & the actual play. What's next - video review of helmet dislodge?
"You win with people." - Woody Hayes
Makes no difference if it's less entertaining or not. If it was your child playing you would want safety first as well. In our Jr High league they don't allow kick off returns at all. Not as entertaining for sure but what do you do?
I see your point, and I'm all for safety. But, at some point, I think they over-police & I'm not even sure if I buy the premise that 5 yards off of a kickoff team's running start is going to make that much of a difference in preventing safety. If they did some kind of study, they would find that of all of the serious injuries/concussions/paralyzed players --- more came from the field of play during a down & distance situation, and not on a kickoff return. So, that kind of blows up their whole argument there.
"You win with people." - Woody Hayes