New college kickoff rule - fair catch on kickoffs

[Farnsworth]

I'm sure there will be several ideas. The only one I've heard tossed around so far is that if a team scores they would get one play from their own 30 to get X amount of yards - in the example I saw it was ten. If they get the ten yards then the possession just continues with a fresh set of downs. If they come up short, the opponent takes possession wherever the ball is marked.

I like that idea a lot actually.

 

[jbindm]

I would love this sort of thing. I think it would actually give less talented teams to use coaching as an advantage.

I like it in theory. I'm sure there are holes to be poked in it, but on the surface it seems like a solid idea.

 

[Cyclone.TV]

No, but I can remember several kickoff returners who were so good at what they did that their presence affected the entire game.

I would agree with that. The rule moving kickoffs up changed that. But I think the safety of the players is more important

 

[Dandy]

New rule, new strategy to pin opponent deep: Squib kick toward one of the pylons, force return team to field the ball (perhaps after an erratic bounce). Worst-case, you risk out-of-bounds penalty and placement at 40.

Can't fair catch a squib kick so this will probably be an often used strategy.

 

[jbindm]

New rule, new strategy to pin opponent deep: Squib kick toward one of the pylons, force return team to field the ball (perhaps after an erratic bounce). Worst-case, you risk out-of-bounds penalty and placement at 40.

Unless they think of that and make it a harsher penalty. Would it still be worth the risk if the penalty for kicking it out of bounds was possession at the 50?

It should be a harsher punishment anyway. It just shouldn't be that difficult for a D-1 or pro kicker to keep the kickoff in the field of play.

 

[BMWallace]

It's time to implement the Schiano Rule. After a score, the scoring team is given the ball on their 35 yard line and have a 4th and 15. In a majority of situations, the scoring team will go ahead and punt, but this also leaves the door open for fakes, and in close games the offense can come out to try to convert the down.