Reports: NCAA Football Rules Committee Drops Slow-Down Proposal
(CBS) The NCAA Football Rules Committee has dropped its proposal that would've slowed down high-tempo offenses, according to reports by USA Today and ESPN.com.
The Playing Rules Oversight Panel was supposed to consider the rule change Thursday, but in a Wednesday teleconference, the football rules committee chose to table the idea after widespread backlash from across the sport, reported USA Today.
The proposal would have prohibited offenses from snapping the ball until at least 10 seconds run off the 40-second play, in turn allowing defenses to substitute. The only exception would've be in the final two minutes of each half or if the play clock began at 25 seconds, according to ESPN. Coaches such as Alabama's Nick Saban and Arkansas' Bret Bielema vouched for this rule on the basis that it would make the sport safer, but many, many others blasted the idea and said there was no data to support their claims.
If the offense had snapped the ball before 10 seconds ran off, it would've received a five-yard delay of game penalty. As it is nowadays, defenses aren't guaranteed an opportunity to substitute unless the offense subs first.
"This is a victory for common sense and protecting the game of football," Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin told USA Today.
