JessN: Commentary: Furor over HUNH offenses won’t end quickly

JessN

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Commentary: Furor over HUNH offenses won’t end quickly
by Jess Nicholas
TideFans Editor-In-Chief
March 1st, 2014 07:49 PM

. By Jess Nicholas, TideFans.com Editor-In-Chief March 1, 2014   Whether or not a proposed rule change – one that places restrictions on an offense’s ability to snap the ball quickly – passes in the next few days, one thing seems fairly certain: College football is headed for yet another revision of its clock rules […]

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PDL

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This has precisely been my point for a while. It drives me crazy to see the refs running over to the ball, throwing it to the next ref for him to run as fast as he can to get the ball set and then all the refs scramble to try to get in position before the ball is snapped. And if they aren't going fast enough for the HUNH coaches, then the coaches get in their ear about how the refs are slowing down their tempo and throwing off their rhythm. Its ridiculous. The refs should control when ball is snapped and not take orders from the coach.

Also, I would implement a rule similar to what the NFL has regarding when coaches are allowed to signal in plays. If you huddle up you have a certain amount of time for the sideline to give you the play. If you don't huddle and go straight to the line of scrimmage you cannot get a call from the sidelines at all. I think that is a rule change that has been a long time coming.
 

92tide

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thanks for the article, jess. ever since i watched the mighty urbans come to t-town in 2005 i have been really bothered by the lack of formation/motion penalties that these types of teams get away with.

i actually made it a point to watch a pac-12 this past year (oregon vs someone) and i couldn't believe how much fidgeting/twitching/headbobbing the o-line gets away with pre snap.
 

davefrat

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if the issue is primarily about officials, and that can be remedied with adding 100 officials at the fbs level (which would seem to be a minimal expense to an industry that does billions of annual revenue), wouldn't that be the most logical solution? it's becoming more apparent that player safety (based upon the information currently available and even referred to in this article) is at best a secondary concern and at worst a red herring. if it had to be styled as a player safety issue to get the rules committee to examine the proposal, i can understand that from a parliamentary standpoint, but it looks like that's basically evaporating as a legitimate argument as the evidence currently suggests.
 

USCBAMA

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Great write. IMO the player safety issue is a bit of a smoke screen. The impact on officials is the legit issue with HUNH. From my viewpoint forget any 10 second rule, and instead better educate and train officials to deal with this. Enforce substitution rules already on the books, enforce linemen down field and/or WRs and RBs blocking down field on pass plays, and for heaven's sake quit rushing to set the ball in play.

Interesting side note, according to this http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/alab/graphics/docs/89-m-footbl-stats.pdf, Alabama averaged 80.73 plays per game in 1989 (Homer Smith OC), so the Tide has toyed with this type pace itself. I believe Bama averaged running somwehere in the mid 70s in terms of plays per game from 1967-1970 as well. Not trying to make any point, just found it interesting. PAss-happy offenses had more to do with those numbers than any hurry-up play, though in 1989 they did pick up the pace at times with Smith wanting a high number of plays compared to his opponent.
 

califbamafan

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The flops are coming. I do not blame them one bit for flopping. Until the ncaa can get the offences and defenses on equal footing again this may be the defenses only way to equalize things.
 

Bama1985

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The flops are coming. I do not blame them one bit for flopping. Until the ncaa can get the offences and defenses on equal footing again this may be the defenses only way to equalize things.
I remember in 2010 that a bad Cal team almost upset Oregon; Cal had a player going down with an injury every other play. This is what might end up forcing the rule to revert back away from the 40 second clock and back to the ref controlling the snap with a 25 second clock.


Oregon football: Fake injuries were part of Cal's game plan, source says


The NCAA rule book does mention feigning injury under "coaching ethics,'' calling the teaching of it "indefensible,'' but there is technically no rule against it. A referee cannot call delay of game or unsportsmanlike conduct.
Oregon coach Chip Kelly, who often pleads with officials to spot the ball more quickly, said he has not complained to the Pac-10 about this strategy.
"If the league wants to look into stuff like that, then that's their prerogative,'' Kelly said. "There's nothing coming from me.''
http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindducksbeat/2010/11/oregon_football_fake_injuries.html
 
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pigsinspace

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The flops are coming. I do not blame them one bit for flopping. Until the ncaa can get the offences and defenses on equal footing again this may be the defenses only way to equalize things.
If you're gonna flop, flop on the ball carrier. Make him fight to get out from under you, and maybe pick up a 15 yard penalty in the process. If the HUNH coaches want to turn college football into a joke, then do whatever you can within the rules to make sure the joke is on them.

One other question. Will the officials put the ball in play if there are still defensive players behind the LOS? If you know you are not coming out of the game, and you can get away with it, why hurry back if you are a few yards behind the line. Don't let the offense dictate your pace when it is not necessary.
 

Aledinho

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How about this one: just make sure your helmet comes off at the end of every play. By rule, the refs have to send you off the field for a play and let your substitute come onto the field.
 

TIDE-HSV

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I've spoken to the safety issue in the other thread. It's not a red herring by any means. I'm not sure where the presumption that CNS is lying gained traction here...
 

Relayer

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I really disliked the flopping business... but if it's ok for the offense to take advantage of the rules with the hurry-up, then there shouldn't be any complaining from opponents or officials about the defense doing the same.

Unfortunately, in this day and age (and probably from now on), the football (most sports) powers-that-be are all about the offense. I'm sure they won't mind quickly altering/tightening the rules to keep the defense from flopping.
 

BamaMoon

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I won't restate what I posted in the sticky thread, but I'll restate that I don't agree with this talk about "coached flobs" or "faking injuries."

I don't like it at all.
 

B1GTide

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I won't restate what I posted in the sticky thread, but I'll restate that I don't agree with this talk about "coached flobs" or "faking injuries."

I don't like it at all.
No one does, but the playing field has to be leveled. A ruse for a ruse, within the rules. Sad that it has to play out this way, but actions have consequences.
 

KrAzY3

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I won't restate what I posted in the sticky thread, but I'll restate that I don't agree with this talk about "coached flobs" or "faking injuries."

I don't like it at all.
Would you rather they leave an injured kid who wants to come out, out there? As it stands now, the injury has to be so severe that the player can't stand. That's a heck of an injury...

I am not even a big supporter of player safety (if they want to risk injury, let 'em), but I'm a huge supporter of voluntary actions. If a player wants to come out, he should be able to (and yes, fatigue can be an injury and as far as I know is actually more responsible for on field [game and practice] deaths than anything else). Forcing a teenager to stay out there is messed up.
 
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BamaMoon

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Would you rather they leave an injured kid who wants to come out, out there? As it stands now, the injury has to be so severe that the player can't stand. That's a heck of an injury...

I am not even a big supporter of player safety (if they want to risk injury, let 'em), but I'm a huge supporter of voluntary actions. If a player wants to come out, he should be able to (and yes, fatigue can be an injury and as far as I know is actually more responsible for on field [game and practice] deaths than anything else). Forcing a teenager to stay out there is messed up.
No, an injured player needs to come out.

A tired player is part of the game and since the current rules dictate that the offense can control the pace a tired player equals an advantage for the offensive team. That's why they are doing it.

Will a tired player be more likely to get hurt??? I don't know. I suspect he might.

I don't have an answer to this, but I just don't like the idea of acting like you are hurt when you are not.
 

B1GTide

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I don't have an answer to this, but I just don't like the idea of acting like you are hurt when you are not.
Would you support a rule change that specifically allowed for a player to ask out of the game without a charged timeout to handle this situation? Player raises his hand and a defensive substitution is allowed as long as it happens within a specified period within the 40 second clock - say within the first 10 seconds?
 

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