College football rule makers recommended that kickoffs be moved up five yards to the 35-yard line and touchbacks come out to the 25-yard line instead of the 20 in an effort to reduce injuries.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Football Rules Committee recommended the changes because the governing body’s data shows that injuries occurred more during kickoffs than at other times of games. The plan is designed to encourage touchbacks with the ball downed in the end zone.
The proposal, which will be voted on Feb. 21 by the NCAA’s Playing Rules Oversight Panel after a comment period, parallels changes the National Football League made before the 2011 season. The professional league moved kickoffs to the 35, but didn’t change touchbacks.
“Without question, these changes will enhance student- athlete safety and we feel very comfortable based on the data we collected that the impact will be significant,” said Scot Dapp, chairman of the NCAA committee and athletic director at Moravian College in Bethlehem,Pennsylvania.
The panel recommended that if a player loses his helmet on a play other than when fouled, he must sit out the next play. NCAA data showed that players lost their helmets about twice a game last season.
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