The NCAA Football Rules Committee revealed several new proposals for the upcoming season, including modifying targeting rules as well as tweaking the overtime format.
Citing a need to continue to make the game better and safer, the committee revealed a two-prong initiative to deal with targeting, a foul that is based on helmet-to-helmet contact against a defenseless player.
The first step is expanding the penalty phase for a player who receives a second targeting foul in a season. Not only will those players be disqualified from the game, but they'll be suspended for the team's next contest.
"Part of that is to encourage them that after they get a targeting foul, to work with their coach and to work on their technique and hopefully find a better way to play the game," said Steve Shaw, NCAA secretary-rules editor.
Shaw said the group wasn't ready to reveal the number of players who have received multiple targeting penalties in a season but that the number was "not overwhelming."
"Our targeting rule has really been effective in changing player behavior," Shaw said. "We keep looking at it because it is maybe our most important rule in our game."
The second proposed change centered on instant replay review. Replay officials would be required to "examine all aspects of the play and confirm the foul when all elements of targeting are present."
If an element of targeting cannot be confirmed then the replay official would overturn the targeting foul.
There would no longer be an option on the field for letting the call stand according to Shaw.
"They will they will have to work through it and if all aspects of the targeting are there, then they will confirm it. Otherwise, it'll be overturned," he said.
While it's not the two-tier targeting penalty the members of the American Football Coaches Association proposed back in January, which would differentiate between malicious intent, it's by no means a tradeoff.
"I don't see this as a compromise as much as I see it as another way to get the same goal," said Stanford coach David Shaw, who is the chair of the Football Rules Committee. "We want the discipline to be severe for the helmet-to-helmet contact but we also want it to be right.
"We're ejecting players properly for the right reasons and if they don't commit the foul, we're not going to eject them."
Other proposals included:
_ Kickoffs: Shaw said 12 percent of kickoffs resulting in touchbacks were the result of the new kickoff rules implemented last season. The rule allowed players who chose to fair catch the football on kickoffs to start at their own 25-yard line.
The committee voted this time around to eliminate two-man wedge formations on kickoffs.
"These two-man wedges were creating potential injuries. So now we're going to eliminate the two-man wedge," added Shaw. "In addition to that, we're going to continue to review the kickoff play and there's a number of other adjustments that if needed will be coming."
_ Overtime: The committee voted to tweak the overtime rules specifically if a game reaches a fifth overtime, the teams would run alternating 2-point plays, instead of starting another drive at the opponent's 25-yard line.
The group cited a concern for player health and safety in the wake of last season's seven-overtime game between LSU and Texas A&M.
"The NCAA overtime rules were very popular with fans, coaches. Our overtime is not broken, in fact, I think our overtime may be the best," added Shaw.
According to the NCAA, there have only been seven games over the past four seasons across all divisions that lasted longer than four overtimes.
The group also proposed a two-minute rest period after the second and fourth overtimes. The rules for the first four overtimes would remain unchanged.
_ Blindside blocks: The committee also voted to change the technique surrounding blindside blocks stating, "Players will not be allowed to deliver a blindside block by attacking an opponent with forcible contact."
The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel must review and approve the committee's proposals. The group meets on April 17.
