2018 College Football Rule Changes

[fishgolf]

College football is changing the rules concerning kickoff plays.  Returners can now fair catch the ball inside the 25 yard line or in the end zone and the ball will be placed at the 25 yard line. Football is a sport involving collisions.  I understand the safety aspect of the decision, but at some point this continued march towards an injury free game is starting to make the game kind of dull.  Also changing is the inability to block below the waist beyond 5 yards of the LOS.  This combined with other changes in recent changes involving QB's, leading with helmet, etc. is trending towards College Flag Football.

[iacas]

Kickoffs are one of the most violent times. I’m good with it.

[saevel25]

I am OK with this.

[mcanadiens]

I get that they'll be doing a lot of things like this in the name of safety as time goes on. 

Really though, why not just get rid of kickoffs altogether? Half the time these kickers just boot the ball through the end zone anyway. This will make kickoffs even more pointless than they already are.

[klineka]

I think it takes a lot of strategy out of kickoffs now.

Ohio State's main strategy on kickoffs was to kick to one corner of the field around the 10 yard line and try to pin the opponent there, which would result in an edge on field position for Ohio State. 

IMO they might as well eliminate kickoffs now and just start the ball at the 25.

[boogielicious]

I think the rule states they "can" call a fair catch. This doesn't mean they will. It will change the strategy a bit to be more like a punt. Special teams will have to decide if they want to run it or fair catch it.

[klineka]

Just now, boogielicious said:

I think the rule states they "can" call a fair catch. This doesn't mean they will. It will change the strategy a bit to be more like a punt. Special teams will have to decide if they want to run it or fair catch it.

It takes away pretty much all strategy from a kicker's point of view. 

The only way teams are going to get pinned back deep in their own side is if the returner decides to return it and theres a blown coverage or something. I bet most coaches will instruct their returners to just fair catch it and take it at the 25, which means there isnt much that kickers can do on kickoffs to help their team (other than not kicking it out of bounds)

[boogielicious]

11 minutes ago, klineka said:

It takes away pretty much all strategy from a kicker's point of view. 

The only way teams are going to get pinned back deep in their own side is if the returner decides to return it and theres a blown coverage or something. I bet most coaches will instruct their returners to just fair catch it and take it at the 25, which means there isnt much that kickers can do on kickoffs to help their team (other than not kicking it out of bounds)

They might, but the NFL thought that teams would just boot it into the end zone every time. Then teams started trying to pin them.

Same with NCAA. Receiving teams will have to decide whether they can get past the 25. Teams will kick it to the 10 and dare them. 

What this may do it protect the ball carrier. But what it won't do is protect all the other 21 players who are running full speed or blocking before the fair catch is made. Seems and odd rule to protect one guy only. From my observation, it's the other players who get hurt more often.

[iacas]

15 minutes ago, klineka said:

It takes away pretty much all strategy from a kicker's point of view. 

The only way teams are going to get pinned back deep in their own side is if the returner decides to return it and theres a blown coverage or something. I bet most coaches will instruct their returners to just fair catch it and take it at the 25, which means there isnt much that kickers can do on kickoffs to help their team (other than not kicking it out of bounds)

Just look at the NFL stats on kickoffs and runbacks.

They still happen. And college has the opportunity for a truly dynamic kick returner, too. So teams that have one will be at an advantage, especially since it will de-emphasize defending run-backs.

[NM Golf]

20 minutes ago, klineka said:

IMO they might as well eliminate kickoffs now and just start the ball at the 25.

Can't do that, onside kicks are still part of the game.

[klineka]

26 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

They might, but the NFL thought that teams would just boot it into the end zone every time. Then teams started trying to pin them.

Same with NCAA. Receiving teams will have to decide whether they can get past the 25. Teams will kick it to the 10 and dare them. 

What this may do it protect the ball carrier. But what it won't do is protect all the other 21 players who are running full speed or blocking before the fair catch is made. Seems and odd rule to protect one guy only. From my observation, it's the other players who get hurt more often.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but in the NFL, if you signal for a fair catch on a kickoff, you get the ball where you catch it right? 

In that case, it makes sense to try to pin a team. 

The incentive to try to pin a team is greatly reduced now in college because you could kick a perfect kick, the returner catches it at the 5 yd line, but just signals for a fair catch and gets it at the 25. 

24 minutes ago, NM Golf said:

Can't do that, onside kicks are still part of the game.

Not if they eliminate kickoffs 

[saevel25]

25 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

Same with NCAA. Receiving teams will have to decide whether they can get past the 25. Teams will kick it to the 10 and dare them. 

I know Urban Meyer created what OSU calls the coffin corner kick. They load up with their return team tight to the sideline, and they try to kick the ball right near the 5 yard line, and between the hash mark and the sideline. They have been near the top 10 in opponent starting field position the past few seasons. When you consider that Ohio State kicked off over 82 times last year and no one else inside the top 10 had over 45 kickoffs. It's an effective strategy.

I could see Urban changing his strategy to kick a really high ball to the 15-20 yard line. Then daring them to try to get past the 25. I doubt Urban would ditch trying to get some sort of field position gain on the kickoffs.

[iacas]

3 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

I know Urban Meyer created what OSU calls the coffin corner kick.

Why is he getting credit for creating that? He didn't. Was he coaching OSU in the 80s, when I first heard the term? Or did he just popularize using it? That feels like it goes too far in crediting him.

[saevel25]

Just now, iacas said:

Why is he getting credit for creating that? He didn't. Was he coaching OSU in the 80s, when I first heard the term? Or did he just popularize using it? That feels like it goes too far in crediting him.

I'll make an addendum on that,

The first I heard of that was recently when he started using it. Maybe he does get some notoriety for using it.

He did coach at OSU in the 80's under Earl Bruce. He was a WR coach. I can not confirm if it was originally his idea.

[The Hook Meister]

I don't mind the faIr catch part of this, but if you catch it at the 10 that is where you should start not the 25.

[boogielicious]

49 minutes ago, klineka said:

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but in the NFL, if you signal for a fair catch on a kickoff, you get the ball where you catch it right? 

In that case, it makes sense to try to pin a team. 

The incentive to try to pin a team is greatly reduced now in college because you could kick a perfect kick, the returner catches it at the 5 yd line, but just signals for a fair catch and gets it at the 25. 

Not if they eliminate kickoffs 

You can't fair catch a kick-off in the NFL. Only punts. Once you are outside the end zone, you have to run or give yourself up. They can 'take a knee', which you see at times at the end of games, but no fair catch.

[klineka]

1 hour ago, boogielicious said:

You can't fair catch a kick-off in the NFL. Only punts. Once you are outside the end zone, you have to run or give yourself up. They can 'take a knee', which you see at times at the end of games, but no fair catch.

Gotcha. Thanks. So yeah I definitely see the advantage in the NFL for trying to pin teams back, but IMO that advantage is being negated in college by bringing the ball out to the 25. 

[fishgolf]

On ‎4‎/‎18‎/‎2018 at 10:53 AM, klineka said:

Gotcha. Thanks. So yeah I definitely see the advantage in the NFL for trying to pin teams back, but IMO that advantage is being negated in college by bringing the ball out to the 25. 

Agree and that is largely why I don't care for the new rule.