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2007 Kickoff Changes

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Taosman

Taosman

Your Cousin In New Mexxico
Kicking off from 30 could mean highlights, injuries
Aug. 16, 2007
CBS SportsLine.com wire reports
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]INDIANAPOLIS -- NCAA officials expect more excitement -- and perhaps more injuries -- as kickoffs move back to the 30-yard line for this college football season. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]The NCAA rules oversight panel's decision in March to push the kickoff back from the 35-yard line to the NFL's starting point was one of several offseason changes designed to keep the game moving and the energy level high. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Purdue coach Joe Tiller has been among the critics of moving the kickoff. He says it's the most violent play in football, and the few extra returns won't be worth it if injuries, such as concussions, increase. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]"So now they're moving back 5 yards so we can create more g-forces as these kids are running into each other," he said. "I'm not in favor of moving it back 5 yards. I think about the health and safety of the players, first and foremost. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]"It's probably going to add a few more injuries that we didn't have in the past. And maybe a few more kicks will be returned." [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Ron Courson, head trainer at Georgia and a member of the National Athletic Trainers association, said the NCAA will keep track of injuries and make changes in the future if necessary. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]"We do know that you do have a tendency to get more injuries on a special teams play where you have more high-impact, open-field running," he said. "However, I think we need to reserve judgment until we have data." [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Dave Parry, national coordinator of NCAA football officiating, said he expects the results to be positive. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]"It will create a little more excitement, and we'll get a little more movement of the ball," he said. "We do believe it will eliminate some touchbacks. This will be pleasing to the fans." [/FONT]

I have real concerns about the injury aspect of the move.
 
Field position and special teams are such a big part of Coach T's strategy. With guys like Small, Wells, Saine, etc. as our returners, I'm excited to see how we do in the return game. I'm also interested in who is going to be our gunners on punt and kick returns. JAM? Evege? Any other possibilities?
 
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"We do know that you do have a tendency to get more injuries on a special teams play where you have more high-impact, open-field running," he said. "However, I think we need to reserve judgment until we have data."
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"We do believe it will eliminate some touchbacks. This will be pleasing to the fans."
Click to expand...

I love College football. It is damn near the perfect sport. But we do have players with such body mass obtaining such speeds that it is scary. Particularly when you have schools like OSU going against schools like YSU.
 
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Joe Tiller said:
So now they're moving back 5 yards so we can create more g-forces as these kids are running into each other
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[/FONT]Psst Joe, "these kids" reach full speed long before they get to the ball carrier. 5 extra yards isn't going to make the impacts any harder.

It'll just increase the number of opportunities for said impacts due to fewer touchbacks.
 
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I'd like to think this would be a clear advantage for us, but the truth is it's not so clear cut.
If Saine takes a couple to the house maybe then we'll see teams giving us field position rather than risk a run back.

By the way the video of Saine returning kicks is scary good! :evil:

Saine is a lot bigger than Ginn and breaks tackles! People just bounce off him!
 
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I'd rather have this rule than some stupid ass clock rules like they had last year.

This should mean more offense, a better chance at more scoring and (GOD FORBID) more exciting games.....

The coaches worrying about g-forces and other bullshit are covering for their real worry of having crappy kickoff coverage teams....
 
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I agree that this rule change doesn't bother me as much as last year's rule changes did. I may even like this one (and I tend to like things as they are).

Excellent point on the gunners. I hadn't considered the "defensive" (so to speak) aspect of the change. I am not sure who ours will be, but that will turn into a much more important role. We have been blessed by good ones in the past.

Some teams will make out on this rule change, such as Florida with Percy Harvin. It should be quite a boon to those teams, and really do a lot to change the balance of some contests. I am not sold on any of our returners, but the prospects for Small and Saine really excite me.

One more thing: some writer, I forget who, mentioned that an excessive celebration penalty will almost be like giving the team a field goal with this change. It certainly is close.
 
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How about instead of kicking off from the 30, they just don't kick off? Let them start with the ball on the 25. No one will get hurt on that play, anymore. And, hey - I'm pretty sure people get hurt on onside-kick plays. Instead of actually kicking the onside-kick, they should roll 2 dice. If a 3 is rolled, the kicking team gets the ball. And I'm pretty sure players sometimes get hurt on passing plays. From now on, just flip a coin to determine whether the pass was completed, and then play a best-of-five series of "rock, paper, scissors" to determine if the receiver would have gained any yards after the reception. The number of yards gained after reception would be determined by the referee, and will be determined based on which team can guess what number he's thinking of. As for running plays, perhaps the running back and the linebackers can duke it out in a spelling bee or a bake sale, instead of crashing into each other.

I'm not in favor of players getting hurt, but none of them is forced to be on the field. They are all aware of the risk. Joe Tiller's job is not to be Mommy.
 
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