Proposed Football Rule Changes

The Football Rules Committee met last week and released some proposed changes to the rules.  This is supposed to be a year when rules aren't changed (apparently that is only done once in a while) but there is an open exception for safety rules, which these are.

The most striking would be to follow (mostly) the NFL's lead on kickoffs.  Under the proposed change, kickoffs would move up to the 35 and no more than a 5 yard run up would be allowed for the kicking team.  Now, what you saw in the NFL was a lot of kicks brought out of the end zone, even deep in the end zone.  To discourage that, the committee's recommendation is to have touchbacks on kickoffs come out to the 25.

This would obviously have a huge impact on the game.  It would greatly de-emphasize the kickoff return and the kickoff returner.  Look, if the data really shows that this play is most likely to cause injuries, I'm for whatever has to be done.  It is an exciting play, so it is a shame on one level, but if football doesn't improve its safety record, I honestly think this article could have it right .

In other news...if a player's helmet comes off (and it seems to happen a lot more often now), that player must leave the game for a play, just like if he was injured.  And, he can't participate in the play.  Sometimes you see a guy lose his "hat" and still go running in to make the tackle.  No more.

There are also some tweaks to the blocking below the waist rule, a rule about crashing into that blocking "shield" on punt plays, and others.  But the kickoff and the helmet penalties will have the biggest impact on the game.

From here, the Playing Rules Oversight Panel is expected to vote on the proposals next week via conference call.  I'm guessing it is pretty well set to go.