BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The NCAA normally works in a two-year cycle to change rules, and the upcoming season would normally be an off year.
Special circumstances are considered in regard to player safety, resulting in two new rule changes for the ’09-’10 season.
Southeastern Conference Coordinator of Football Officials Rogers Redding announced the new rule changes at Media Days. With increased attention on concussions, Rogers said the NCAA felt it necessary to tweak some things to make the game safer.
The NCAA and NFL have formed a working group to discuss possible rule changes. The NFL banned three-man wedges on kickoffs for the first time last season, and the NCAA will do so in the upcoming college football season.
Players will no longer be allowed to form a three-man “wall” to block for the return man. Doing so will result in a 15 yard penalty from the spot of the foul.
Two man wedges are still OK, Redding said.
The NFL considered the change a success. Officials called the penalty about five times during all of last season.
“Coaches are coaching away from it now,” Redding said.
The other rule change deals with players injured on the field. In the past, play has been stopped to allow medical personnel to attend to the injured player.
Players did not have to leave the game unless they were bleeding.
With the new rule change, any injured player must leave the game for at least a down, regardless of whether or not he is bleeding. The injured player can’t return until medical staff examines him.
Particular attention must be shown to concussions, Redding said.
Specific to the conference, the SEC will also be switching to high definition on their replay system, Redding said.
“It’s obviously going to give a much better look in the replay booth,” Redding said. “People at home are watching in HD, it might as well be in the replay booth.”
—-Contact Katherine Terrell at [email protected].