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According to ESPN, the NCAA Football Rules Committee is proposing a set of rule changes heading into the 2014 season.
Currently, a rule cemented in NCAA football gave way to the hurry-up spread attacks of the Oklahoma Sooners as well as others across the nation. With the ability to keep opposing defenses from making substitutions, versatile players, like Trey Millard, became a major asset and highly coveted. Now, the committee looks to possibly strike that advantage.
As per the rules, a defense isn't guaranteed the opportunity to make substitutions unless the offense chooses to do so first. The proposed change would allow a defense to make substitutions within the first 10 seconds of the 40-second play clock. Any team that snaps the ball before the play clock hits 29 would receive a 5-yard penalty for "delay of game."
When asked for the purpose behind this proposal, the chair, Troy Calhoun, offered this explanation:
This rules change is being made to enhance student-athlete safety by guaranteeing a small window for both teams to substitute. As the average number of plays per game has increased, this issue has been discussed with greater frequency by the committee in recent years and we felt like it was time to act in the interests of protecting our student-athletes. - Air Force coach Troy Calhoun, chair of the rules committee via ESPN
While the first proposed amendment to college football can be viewed as a detriment, the second will likely be welcomed across all fan bases.
One of the most controversial penalties this past season was found in the new targeting rule. If the official suspects a player committing the infraction, that player is immediately ejected from the game and the team is assessed a 15-yard penalty. Of course, an official review follows in which the opportunity to admit a mistake and overturn the ruling on the ejection is presented. However, regardless of the findings in the replay, the 15-yard penalty is still enforced.
Now, as the committee has proposed, the 15-yard penalty will be erased if the targeting call is overturned.
This alteration keeps the intent of the rule, but allows replay to correct all of the consequences from a rare missed call. - Troy Calhoun via ESPN
Needless to say, it was unfair for a targeting call to be overturned yet the penalty still enforced.
