New Rule: Fair Catch for on-sides kicks this year

[gr82b4au 5,574]

SEC Coordinator of Officials Steve Shaw outlined significant rule changes coming to college football this season, all rooted in player safety. These rules, by the way, were approved in February.

Kickoff

Kickers will kick from the 35-yard line and not the 30 and a touchback will now be brought to the 25-yard line and not the 20-yard line. This is, in part, to eliminate collisions on kickoffs, part of the wave of player safety sweeping through football.

After a kickoff hits the ground — specifically on a one-hop onside kick — the receiving team gets an opportunity to fair catch that ball. "A lot of our coaches," Shaw said, "have said that will almost take that one-hop (onside) kick out of the game."

** This will change the game. It would have changed our season last year. **

[aujess07 4]

I'll say it: that's stupid.

First the kickoff being moved to the 35, making touchbacks more common.

And now, they're taking the one bounce onside kick away. The majority of onside kicks have always been the one-hop.

Next thing you know, they'll eliminate QB sacks..

I'm all about safety, but football has always been a physical sport. Let the boys play.

[bigbird 60,938]

That's stupid.  The whole point is to catch them unguarded.  Now whenever you do an onside kick, prepared for it or not, they will simply just raise their hand.

[matt138 0]

just ridiculous... 

[Iron_chin_chiz 0]

Stupidiest rules ever. Soon the rules change is going to be instead of actually playing the Iron Bowl, Gene Chizik and  will just square off in a game of NCAA Football on 360.

[aujess07 4]

Stupidiest rules ever. Soon the rules change is going to be instead of actually playing the Iron Bowl, Gene Chizik and  will just square off in a game of NCAA Football on 360.

Chizik wins every time. Lil Nicky's hands aren't big enough for the controllers..

[Weegle777 78]

That one wasn't well thought out. Dumbest rule I have ever heard of.

[Iron_chin_chiz 0]

Stupidiest rules ever. Soon the rules change is going to be instead of actually playing the Iron Bowl, Gene Chizik and  will just square off in a game of NCAA Football on 360.

Chizik wins every time. Lil Nicky's hands aren't big enough for the controllers..

Haha. I have also heard that Lil Nicky throws quite the temper tantrum when he loses video games. His mom might ground him from playing too.

[alexava 6,974]

That is only a ten yard seperation for collision. was this really an injury point?

[Velvet Beavis 15]

To be clear, it only applies to the on-side kick that is driven into the ground and gets high in the air like we did against Utah St.  You can't just fair catch any on-side kick.

[gr82b4au 5,574]

To be clear, it only applies to the on-side kick that is driven into the ground and gets high in the air like we did against Utah St.  You can't just fair catch any on-side kick.

I would bet that about 95% of onsides kicks are the high hoppers. There are very few exceptions (like the slow dribbler against Clemson or UGA). It is a bad rule. We would have been 7-5 last year.

[fly757au 0]

It seems like sometimes they just like to make up rules for the sake of making up rules.

If it is only going to apply to the 'high' bouncer, then what is the criteria for a high bounce? The last thing we needed to add to the rulebook is another rule with ambiguous definitions left up to the refs to subjectively call.

[Velvet Beavis 15]

To be clear, it only applies to the on-side kick that is driven into the ground and gets high in the air like we did against Utah St.  You can't just fair catch any on-side kick.

I would bet that about 95% of onsides kicks are the high hoppers. There are very few exceptions (like the slow dribbler against Clemson or UGA). It is a bad rule. We would have been 7-5 last year.

Oh I agree, it is a bad rule.  What the rule ignores it that a kick off is a free ball.  The opposing team doesn't have to touch it like a punt for it to be recovered.  

[Ahsaaref 0]

Did they define "High" ?  higher than your head if standing erect? Just another split second judgement for officials to make.  Is the hop high enough to call a fair catch?

I agree, really stoopid

[Ahsaaref 0]

To be clear, it only applies to the on-side kick that is driven into the ground and gets high in the air like we did against Utah St.  You can't just fair catch any on-side kick.

I would bet that about 95% of onsides kicks are the high hoppers. There are very few exceptions (like the slow dribbler against Clemson or UGA). It is a bad rule. We would have been 7-5 last year.

Oh I agree, it is a bad rule.  What the rule ignores it that a kick off is a free ball.  The opposing team doesn't have to touch it like a punt for it to be recovered.  

Not really, you could always call a fair catch on an ungrounded free kick.

[Always4Auburn 8]

This is going to be a mess.

[pologuy24 0]

It didnt state on a "high bounce" it said After a kickoff hits the ground — specifically on a one-hop onside kick.

[fly757au 0]

To be clear, it only applies to the on-side kick that is driven into the ground and gets high in the air like we did against Utah St.  You can't just fair catch any on-side kick.

Ok, I re-read.

VB- Is that your thought or are you getting the high-bounce part of this from somewhere in the new rule?

[Martian Manhunter1345162906 0]

WEAK!

[Velvet Beavis 15]

To be clear, it only applies to the on-side kick that is driven into the ground and gets high in the air like we did against Utah St.  You can't just fair catch any on-side kick.

Ok, I re-read.

VB- Is that your thought or are you getting the high-bounce part of this from somewhere in the new rule?

That was the way Steve Shaw explained it on the radio, or at least the way I understood him as he talked about it.  He didn't address how high it had to be and the radio guys didn't ask.  I believe them to mean if it is grounded there is no fair catch, with this one type of kick being the exception.

[aujess07 4]

To be clear, it only applies to the on-side kick that is driven into the ground and gets high in the air like we did against Utah St.  You can't just fair catch any on-side kick.

Ok, I re-read.

VB- Is that your thought or are you getting the high-bounce part of this from somewhere in the new rule?

That was the way Steve Shaw explained it on the radio, or at least the way I understood him as he talked about it.  He didn't address how high it had to be and the radio guys didn't ask.  I believe them to mean if it is grounded there is no fair catch, with this one type of kick being the exception.

What stinks is the majority of onside kicks is the one where the ball is kicked directly toward the ground to achieve the one big hop. Not many teams kick the top of the ball to roll it and wait for the hop anymore.

[fly757au 0]

So we can infer that one bounce or less = fair-catchable and more than one bounce = free ball

[wareagle13 88]

The biggest gripe I have is with the new touchback rule. Moving it to the 25 yard line and moving the kick up to the 35 yard line to make more touchbacks happen is going to have a reverse effect. You are going to see more sky kicks cause you are closer and don't have as far to run, plus that'll probably allow you to stop the ball before the 20 yard line. But in the grand scheme I see this as making more collisions on kickoffs instead of fewer. In my most humble opinion.

[AU64 10,122]

As noted most on-sides kicks are one bounce....and just because a player signals for  fair catch does not mean he even has to try to catch it. 

The real goal is to eliminate kick-offs all together...and these incremental rules are just steps along the way. 

Mark my words....within five years there will be a coin flip to start a game....the winning team will have choice of offense or defense and the other the goal or whatever.  It will be the same process now used for OT.

[Ahsaaref 0]

The biggest gripe I have is with the new touchback rule. Moving it to the 25 yard line and moving the kick up to the 35 yard line to make more touchbacks happen is going to have a reverse effect. You are going to see more sky kicks cause you are closer and don't have as far to run, plus that'll probably allow you to stop the ball before the 20 yard line. But in the grand scheme I see this as making more collisions on kickoffs instead of fewer. In my most humble opinion.

I do believe you are exactly correct.  Shorter, higher kicks and let the coverage KO the receiver.