FACE MASK
Change: It's no longer a 5-yard penalty for grabbing a face mask. Only a serious face mask grab involving twisting, turning or pulling will be called and assessed 15 yards. When in question, the rule book says it's a foul. Redding's opinion: "Myself and a lot of coaches always felt just grabbing the face mask in and of itself is nothing. It's like grabbing a sleeve. The danger is when the face mask is yanked. It's going to be easier to officiate because we won't have to make a judgment." Potential impact: Irate fans. Get ready for ignorant fans to go crazy when their running back has a hand on his face mask and no flag flies. Be the smart one in your section.
OUT-OF-BOUNDS KICKOFF
Change: When a kickoff goes out of bounds, the receiving team now has the choice to take the ball 30 yards upfield from where it went out or force a re-kick five yards back. Previously, the choices were to get the ball at the 35-yard line or the same re-kick option. Redding's opinion: "This is in place because it takes so much time to set up a kickoff. Last year we saw teams who would rather kick again than take it at the 35. By getting the ball at, say, the 40, that's very good field position. Odds are you aren't going to gain better field position by backing up five yards and kicking over." Potential impact: The importance of good returners increases. Some scrawny kickoff specialist who can't kick the ball down the middle will become the goat of a major game. Maybe then programs will invest more coaching and scholarships on quality kickers.
SIDELINE WARNING
Change: When the ball is in play, no one may be in the restricted area between the sideline and the coaching box or on the field. There's no longer a warning. The first and second strikes are 5-yard penalties; every subsequent infraction is a 15-yard penalty. Redding's opinion: "In the real world, we're going to talk'em back and say, `You're going to cost your team yards.' We're suffering as an industry with too much activity there. A coach on the rules committee agreed and said, `If you officially warned us last year, give us the penalty now.' Potential impact: Beefy trainers everywhere get to become the Get-Back-Guy. This change could cause confusion because everyone's used to a warning. Perhaps officials will exercise common sense in assessing penalties.
INSTANT REPLAY ON KICKS
Change: Field goals will now be reviewable, but only if the ball was lower than the top of the uprights. Redding's opinion: "If you get real high kicks that are close to the uprights, we won't review it. It's just too hard to tell where it crossed that plane. The guy who's got the best look anyway is the guy standing under the goal post, not a camera." Potential impact: Minimal. Redding said there was one missed call on a field goal last year, resulting in this change. The NFL has made the switch, too. Call it the Phil Dawson Rule.
HORSE COLLAR PENALTY
Change: A "horse collar" tackle, where a defender grabs inside the back collar of the shoulder pads to pull a runner down, is now a 15-yard personal foul. The rule does not apply to a runner inside the tackle box or to a quarterback who is in the pocket. Redding's opinion: "Trainers who visited with the rules committee are concerned with injuries to backs and legs when a guy gets whipped to the ground." Potential impact: Minimal. If anything, maybe defenders will be more inclined to make form tackles.
2-FOR-1 CHALLENGES
Change: Coaches get an extra instant replay challenge if his first one is upheld. The maximum number of challenges is two. Previously, coaches had one challenge regardless of whether they were right or wrong. Redding's opinion: "We tell our replay officials, `Let's try to prevent the coach from using his challenge anyway.' But they (coaches) like to have the option available to them to stop the game and review something." Potential impact: Minimal. In theory, the replay booth is reviewing every meaningful close play anyway. Two challenges may give coaches more flexibility in what they challenge and to blow off a little steam. Jon Solomon --
© 2008 The Birmingham News. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Change: It's no longer a 5-yard penalty for grabbing a face mask. Only a serious face mask grab involving twisting, turning or pulling will be called and assessed 15 yards. When in question, the rule book says it's a foul. Redding's opinion: "Myself and a lot of coaches always felt just grabbing the face mask in and of itself is nothing. It's like grabbing a sleeve. The danger is when the face mask is yanked. It's going to be easier to officiate because we won't have to make a judgment." Potential impact: Irate fans. Get ready for ignorant fans to go crazy when their running back has a hand on his face mask and no flag flies. Be the smart one in your section.
OUT-OF-BOUNDS KICKOFF
Change: When a kickoff goes out of bounds, the receiving team now has the choice to take the ball 30 yards upfield from where it went out or force a re-kick five yards back. Previously, the choices were to get the ball at the 35-yard line or the same re-kick option. Redding's opinion: "This is in place because it takes so much time to set up a kickoff. Last year we saw teams who would rather kick again than take it at the 35. By getting the ball at, say, the 40, that's very good field position. Odds are you aren't going to gain better field position by backing up five yards and kicking over." Potential impact: The importance of good returners increases. Some scrawny kickoff specialist who can't kick the ball down the middle will become the goat of a major game. Maybe then programs will invest more coaching and scholarships on quality kickers.
SIDELINE WARNING
Change: When the ball is in play, no one may be in the restricted area between the sideline and the coaching box or on the field. There's no longer a warning. The first and second strikes are 5-yard penalties; every subsequent infraction is a 15-yard penalty. Redding's opinion: "In the real world, we're going to talk'em back and say, `You're going to cost your team yards.' We're suffering as an industry with too much activity there. A coach on the rules committee agreed and said, `If you officially warned us last year, give us the penalty now.' Potential impact: Beefy trainers everywhere get to become the Get-Back-Guy. This change could cause confusion because everyone's used to a warning. Perhaps officials will exercise common sense in assessing penalties.
INSTANT REPLAY ON KICKS
Change: Field goals will now be reviewable, but only if the ball was lower than the top of the uprights. Redding's opinion: "If you get real high kicks that are close to the uprights, we won't review it. It's just too hard to tell where it crossed that plane. The guy who's got the best look anyway is the guy standing under the goal post, not a camera." Potential impact: Minimal. Redding said there was one missed call on a field goal last year, resulting in this change. The NFL has made the switch, too. Call it the Phil Dawson Rule.
HORSE COLLAR PENALTY
Change: A "horse collar" tackle, where a defender grabs inside the back collar of the shoulder pads to pull a runner down, is now a 15-yard personal foul. The rule does not apply to a runner inside the tackle box or to a quarterback who is in the pocket. Redding's opinion: "Trainers who visited with the rules committee are concerned with injuries to backs and legs when a guy gets whipped to the ground." Potential impact: Minimal. If anything, maybe defenders will be more inclined to make form tackles.
2-FOR-1 CHALLENGES
Change: Coaches get an extra instant replay challenge if his first one is upheld. The maximum number of challenges is two. Previously, coaches had one challenge regardless of whether they were right or wrong. Redding's opinion: "We tell our replay officials, `Let's try to prevent the coach from using his challenge anyway.' But they (coaches) like to have the option available to them to stop the game and review something." Potential impact: Minimal. In theory, the replay booth is reviewing every meaningful close play anyway. Two challenges may give coaches more flexibility in what they challenge and to blow off a little steam. Jon Solomon --
© 2008 The Birmingham News. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
