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An NCAA rules panel proposed two changes to the college football rulebook, and Arizona Wildcats coach Rich Rodriguez is certainly rubbed the wrong way by one of the ideas.
The committee's chairman, Air Force coach Roy Calhoun, said that the proposal suggests that offenses be restricted in snapping the ball until the 40-second play-clock runs 10 seconds, which would allow for defenses to substitute players. Such a rule would not be in place in the final two minutes of halves.
"This rules change is being made to enhance student-athlete safety by guaranteeing a small window for both teams to substitute," said Calhoun. "As the average number of plays per game has increased, this issue has been discussed with greater frequency by the committee in recent years and we felt like it was time to act in the interests of protecting our student-athletes."
The result of snapping the ball prior to the clock reading 29 seconds is a delay of game penalty, which seems quite contradictory considering the word "delay."
As you might expect, such a rule would take a large advantage away from a team like Arizona, which plays with an up-tempo style that keeps defenses from subbing packages in and out. The pace also wears on opponents physically. So of course, Rich Rodriguez the self-proclaimed "Tweeting Machine" went off on the proposal soon after hearing about it on Wednesday.
So I hear the football rules committee wants to slow the game down and make you wait ten seconds to snap--and penalty is delay of game!#wow
— Rich Rodriguez (@CoachRodAZ) February 12, 2014
When you snap the ball has always been a fundamental edge for the offense- what's next-- 3 downs like Canada?#LetsGetBoring
— Rich Rodriguez (@CoachRodAZ) February 12, 2014
Fundamental advantage for defense- pre snap movement- maybe that should be reviewed? #WhoMakesTheseRules
— Rich Rodriguez (@CoachRodAZ) February 12, 2014
None of the coaches I've talked to knew about the new rule proposal regarding waiting ten seconds to snap the ball --wondering#HiddenAgenda?
— Rich Rodriguez (@CoachRodAZ) February 13, 2014
It really does seem odd this rule proposal has come to be. What safety issues does it change, other than defensive players being out of shape? And Rodriguez brings up a good point: Why would the NCAA change the rule simply because it lends one advantage to one side of the ball? EVERYONE HAS TWO SIDES OF THE BALL.
Regardless, it seems RichRod got the memo on how to use hashtags.
