Ncaa football rules committee to explore technology use. Ncaa football rules committee proposes kickoff changes. Ruletool your free interactive rulebook for american. Kickoff return yards career leaders and records are you a stathead. Rule 6, section 1, article 6a of 200910 ncaa football rules and interpretations states in part if caught or recovered by a player of the kicking team, the ball becomes dead. Coaches who argue on field, players who run and leap risk penalty new rule changes allow for a 15yard penalty for entering the field to argue a call. Formation of the wedge is not illegal when the kick is from an obvious onside kick formation. A new rule 614 was added to state that the timing of the foul for not having at least four players on each side of the kicker now occurs when the ball is kicked. Kickoff return yards career leaders and records college. Ncaa football rules committee 2016 rules changes the following rules changes received final approval by the playing rules oversight panel prop on march 8, 2016. On most kickoffs, the kicking team concedes possession of the ball and tries to kick it as far as possible from its own goal.
Onside kicks are a way for teams to keep possession after a scoring play. In many cases, the intent is obvious, based on the game situation i. The ball becomes dead immediately once the kicking team gains possession. The kicking team is under no obligation to announce that they are going to attempt an onside kick. Is it ever worth it to go for a surprise onside kick. For those who arent familiar with this years rule change.
In gridiron football, an onside kick is a kickoff deliberately kicked short. High school football just made two major rule changes for. After the ball has been kicked, it is illegal for three or more. Understand the college football rules better than your friends, coworkers and even your spouse. I was talking to my son today and he mentioned how this new rule will impact game strategy for the upcoming season.
The ncaa football rules committee announced a handful of new proposals that significantly tweak several aspects of the game on friday, most notably allowing the. Its a short 10 yard kick with everyone from the receiving time minus 2 players up around the 45 to recover the kick. Evaluating the surprise onside kick the harvard sports. A scrimmage kick formation is a formation with no player in position to receive a hand tohand snap from between the snappers legs, and with either 1 at least one player 10 or more yards behind the. Nothing gets people madder than the calls officials do or dont make during college football games. Welcome to the internet home of the texas high school football officials from abilene, texas. The rulebook is a legal document and not intended as a study aid. Once the ball hits the ground no more fair catch can be calledrule 4. New ncaa football kickoffreturn rules produced more touchbacks in games played through oct.
Anecdotally, surprise onside kicks have led to great outcomes the saints bold onside kick to open up the second half of super bowl xliv and the eagles onside kick down 14 points which helped stage the miracle at. College football stats including division ia player and team stats at cbssports. Rules and mechanics tom beards football officials clinic. College football stats are also available by conference. A legal scrimmage kick is a punt, drop kick or place kick made according to rule. Ncaa football rules committee recommends safety changes. On the first attempt to kick there are no penalties the restraining line for the kicking team is the same as the kicking line, so it is the 35 yard line. Rule 1 the game, field, players and equipment fr23. Blocking by team a players before they are eligible to touch the ball on an on side kick. A free kick is a kick by a player of the team in possession made under restrictions specified in rules 414, 611 and 612. Thats why they call it a surprise onside kick also, how the fuk else are they supposed to kick it the outside clemson player was just outleveraged based on where he lined up.
For team a fouls during free or scrimmage kick plays. New kickoff rules producing more touchbacks in fbs ncaa. The ncaa football rules committee has extraordinary pride in the football code, which was introduced in 1916 and has been updated several times. A wedge is defined as two or more players aligned shoulder to shoulder within two yards of each other.
The american football rules are complicated and tricky. The ncaa football rules committee met for the first time under the ncaa rules process which calls for rules changes to be made only in alternate years. In an onside kick, however, the kicking team kicks short in hopes of regaining possession of the ball before the receiving team can control it. Hopefully this postquestion is in the appropriate forum. The rules for an onside kick or any kickoff, for that matter state that the ball must travel forward 10 yards before the kicking team may touch the ball, unless the receiving team touches it. Alabama succeeded with an onside kick attempt in the fourth quarter of monday nights college football playoff national championship. Test and improve your american football rules knowledge on. The fair catch isnt a rare thing in football, but it doesnt usually happen on a kickoff. Foul, free kick out of bounds b 110 on a43 rule 1233h. Arkansas high school football team uses onside kicks to go up 290 before opponent gets possession video by. Ncaa football rules committee to explore technology use, other rule changes see in app. Possession of a kick in the field of play on an onside kick attempt, a20 attempts to recover the ball at the a45.
Kickoffs are exciting, fun and arguably the most actionpacked part of the game. Theyve made editorial and safety changes since going to the 2 year book sometime around 2009. As you navigate through our site, you will find current information about the abilene football chapter, the texas association of sports officials taso, current ncaa football rules, and other topics relating to all levels of football officiating. Lets be honest, nobodys perfect not even those who wear the black and white stripes. The kicking team can recover a kick, but they can never advance the kick. Ncaa publications 2016 and 2017 ncaa football rules and. If the kickoff is returned for a touchdown, the penalty is assessed either on the try or on the succeeding kickoff, at the option of the home team. The ncaa football rules committee recommended three changes to. In other changes, the rules committee revised the 2014 rule change regarding freekick formations. A regular high school football team will spend about 15 minutes on onside kicks during one 2 a day practice and probably practice it once more during the season with. Onside kick, go for it on 4th down, arrive at the stadium late. Players speed down the field like missiles released. Sometimes a kicking team will kick a squib kick that travels 30 40 yards but bounces, in the hope that the kicking team can recover, but if they dont the ball will be at the receiving teams 3040, not at midfield as is the case with an onside kick that is not recovered.
Cfb rule change to essentially eliminate onside kicks. I agree that this is a bad rule change, but i remember hearing that most coachesplayers think that onside kicks are actually the most dangerous play in football. A return kick is an illegal kick and a liveball foul that causes the ball to become dead rule 2168. While chicago did not recover the kick, the question still remains. Every week during the season, well send you an email to your inbox with scores, this weeks schedule, top performers, fantasy drops and adds, new debuts and interesting tidbits. If a free kick is caught or recovered by a player of the receiving team, the ball continues in play exceptions. New kickoff rules you need to know about in college football. What are the rules for the onside kick in professional. Since he did not maintain control when he landed he did not complete the recovery. Through the first six weeks of the season, 1,450 touchbacks were. Always onside kick, go for it on 4th down, arrive at the. Ruletool is a free tool, helping you to improve your understanding of the american football rules. What is different this year is the fact that last years book said 2015, and this years says 2016 and 2017.
There are a few new wrinkles to the targeting rule this season. A new ncaa rule change will incentivize kick returners to fair catch kickoffs. A kickoff or punt returner attempting to catch or recover a kick, or one who has completed a. Trying to perfect the suprise onside kick with georgia state vs ole miss and it has worked for tge first time. There is no foul if the play results in a touchback. The ncaa playing rules oversight panel approved altering football s kickoff rules to allow the receiving team to fair catch the kick inside the 25yard line and have it result in a touchback.
That is why most of the onside kicks are first kicked into the ground, for the ball to bounce up. The ncaa football rules committee will look into a number of new rule proposals heading into the 2015 season. Footballs onside kick rule states that the kicking team can recover a kickoff and retain possession after the ball travels 10 yards from its kicking point. High school football just made two major rule changes for player safety.