Everyone hates it when the NCAA starts muddling around in the clock rules at the behest of television executives wanting to cram yet more non-football into their three-and-a-half hour windows of commercials sometimes interrupted by men in pads, and it looks like the rules committee is treading dangerous territory with this year's changes.There are two clock rules under consideration:
- Going to an NFL-style 40 second playclock; the clock would start immediately after the last play's completion instead of when the ref signals ready for play.
- Treating an out-of-bounds play like a first down: the clock will stop until the referee signals ready for play, but then it will run.
Make no mistake: fifteen extra seconds on the play clock is a dramatic, terrible change, and will fail miserably at its attempt to maintain plays and scoring at 2007 levels.
I'm not sure I agree with your policework there, Norm.
The generalized "arrrgh" directed at the 40-second playclock is misplaced, as EDSBS readers who emailed the head of the rules committee have been told. That claim and an evaluation of its validity after the jump.
Here's the claim from the NCAA rules committee:
NFL studies showed that adding the 25-40 clock will actually add 4 to 5 plays per game based on consistent pace of play. BCS Football and officials themselves were for this change. With the ready for play, live ball out of bounds rules, (This happens about 12 times per game, with on average 3 of those in last 2 minutes) we should get the same amount of plays in a time span that is a few minutes shorter. For the record it is BCS football, TV, Conference Commissioners with lengthy seasons and television that leads the push for faster games. The Committee's stance is that the game has given about all it can give back without a negative influence on product. Next move will have to be from Administrators or Television themselves. It is still a great game. MC.!!!
The anger levied by SMQB is based on a misunderstanding of the proposed change. Right now the playclock starts when the ball is ready to be snapped and the ref blows his whistle. The hypothetical 40-second clock will start immediately after the previous play ends.
The committee is suggesting that the average time before the ball is spotted and the clock wound is greater than 15 seconds in college football. Therefore this change will actually remove dead time between plays, not heighten it. This seems improbable at first blush, but they've got a study and we don't.
So is this believable? Actually... yeah. Late, unlamented Rule 3-2-5e was so universally despised that you could be forgiven for thinking the rule's actual name was "Hated Rule 3-2-5e," and coaches were at the forefront of said hatred. Why would they suddenly change course just a year later? If they've done this study and they think the results are valid, this appears to be away to appease the ever-ravenous needs of TV without slicing games. And rest assured the blogosphere will be watching closely to make sure our precious football is not further diluted.
Now, about those games versus I-AA teams...
ADVERTISEMENT
_thumbnail.jpg "NASCAR Cowboy Hats")
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. The 40-second clock works quite well in the NFL. It allows for consistency and alleviates the issue of "those linesmen spotted the ball too fast/too slow" in late game situations where the team in the lead has the ball.
Posted at 4:18PM on Feb 18th 2008 by Jeff
2. My opinion is not based on a misunderstanding. The NFL currently averages about 60 plays per team per game with the 40 second clock; NCAA teams last year averaged 72 plays per team per game with the 25 second clock. I do not think college refs take an average of 15 seconds to spot the ball between plays, and I do think it will be much easier to bleed the game to oblivion with a lead (as it currently is in the pros). With the clock also running after a runner goes out of bounds, this rule will result in a) fewer plays per game, b) fewer possessions per game and c) less scoring per game.
The larger complaint is against the idea that games are too long, and especially against the idea that the rules are the cause of said length. Commercials are the cause of said length (which, again, is not a problem). Market if you must, but fans have to draw the line when the product is carved to suit the advertising.
Posted at 6:16PM on Feb 18th 2008 by SMQ
3. Stop playing with the college football clock!!
It is fine as is...unless a way to make the game actually last longer.
The game is an entire entertainment event, which includes the bands performances during the breaks.
Can never get enough of a fun time...so NCAA, stop trying to shorten teh games!!!!!!!
Posted at 5:40PM on Feb 19th 2008 by Evan
4. I recall reading that the average amount of time to spot the ball and reset the clock is 12 seconds. So in essence, both of these new rules will help the team who is ahead at the end of the game. Getting out of bounds won't help/penalize quite as much as now.
Besides TV commercials and more scoring, the other reason that some games have grown so long is the increased number of incomplete passes.
Rather than restarting the clock when the ball goes out of bounds, why not stop the clock on any incomplete passes landing within the field of play only until the ball is spotted? This would do a much better job of balancing out the length of games.
Posted at 10:11PM on Mar 1st 2008 by dk1coach
5. ...if both rules are adopted what you will see is teams in the "Four Minute Offense" (ahead) now running convoy sweeps of the old Student Body Left/Right variety rather than straight ahead; the BC will try to take his time (while attempting to denying defenders the chance to strip the ball) and then stepping out of bounds as the defenders close in; as this will give them an additional 40 seconds before the clock is snapped.
During the rest of the game, OCs will probably enjoy the more consistent (slightly longer) period of time to send in plays (changing personnel groupings, and then sending in plays based on the corresponding defensive personnel is likely to increase).
Posted at 8:30PM on Mar 27th 2008 by dk1coach