BAMANEWSBOT
Staff
With spread and tempo offenses putting players all over the field and increasing the pace of play, the SEC is adding an extra official to its seven-man crews this season.
The eighth official will add a center judge in the offensive backfield, which will provide an extra view of the quarterback. The center judge will have no pre-snap responsibilities, which should allow the crew in its entirety to better manage quick substitutions and other things related to pace of play.
It is a change that was expected after the league had one of its nine crews work with an eighth official throughout last season as a pilot test.
"This is probably in a long number of years probably the least number of actual playing impact rule changes that we've had," said SEC Coordinator of Football Officials Steve Shaw on Thursday during the SEC meetings in Destin, Florida, as he introduced some of the changes that will go into effect during the 2015 season.
Here are some of the most notable changes Shaw mentioned:
The 10 Football Bowl Subdivision coaches are establishing a Football Competition Committee that will be in place and making decisions next offseason. The new committee will look at the game from a broad picture to see what is trending, player safety changes that need to be made, what is good for the game and what they want it to look like.
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The eighth official will add a center judge in the offensive backfield, which will provide an extra view of the quarterback. The center judge will have no pre-snap responsibilities, which should allow the crew in its entirety to better manage quick substitutions and other things related to pace of play.
It is a change that was expected after the league had one of its nine crews work with an eighth official throughout last season as a pilot test.
"This is probably in a long number of years probably the least number of actual playing impact rule changes that we've had," said SEC Coordinator of Football Officials Steve Shaw on Thursday during the SEC meetings in Destin, Florida, as he introduced some of the changes that will go into effect during the 2015 season.
Here are some of the most notable changes Shaw mentioned:
- "Overbuilt" facemasks are no longer legal. The added weight of the masks can impact the integrity of the helmet, according to Shaw, and tends to pull a player's head down, which can provide them with a false sense of security during tackling. Similarly, the NFL outlawed the non-standard facemasks last offseason.
- Pulling or pushing a player off of a pileup is now an automatic unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
- Players wearing their uniforms incorrectly will now have to leave the field for at least one play, and until their equipment issues are addressed. This rule applies to players who turn their jerseys into "crop tops" and/or have their back pads sticking out. Shaw said players need to keep their back pads covered to protect themselves, while the rule banning players with their jerseys rolled up is so their numbers can be easily seen by the officials.
- A potential illegal block during an on-side kick is now a reviewable play. The rule remains the same, as a player on the kicking team is not eligible to touch the ball until it has gone at least 10 yards.
- Nationally, points of emphasis for officiating crews during the 2015 season include managing pace of play, targeting and dangerous contact fouls, sideline management and unsportsmanlike conduct fouls.
The 10 Football Bowl Subdivision coaches are establishing a Football Competition Committee that will be in place and making decisions next offseason. The new committee will look at the game from a broad picture to see what is trending, player safety changes that need to be made, what is good for the game and what they want it to look like.
Continue reading...
