The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel has approved a proposal whereby players who fair catch a kickoff inside their 25-yard line would be awarded a touchback.
The new rule, proposed last month and enacted Friday, seeks to "address player safety on the kickoff and to address tactics that attempt to pin the receiving team close to its goal line." Studies have shown that a disproportionate number of concussions and head injuries take place on kickoffs as opposed to other types of plays.
All other kickoff rules -- including kicking off from the 35-yard line and starting at the 25 after a touchback -- would remain the same.
Other rules changes adopted Friday:
* Blocking rules have been altered to disallow offensive blocks below the waist more than five yards down the field. Other than those involving interior lineman, all blocks below the waist must be from the front.
* Play clock will be set at 40 seconds following a touchdown, prior to an extra-point kick or two-point conversion attempt. The play clock will be set at 40 seconds following a kickoff.
* A 10-second run-off will be added when instant replay overturns the ruling on the field inside of one minute in either half, in cases when the correct ruling would not have stopped the game clock.
* Personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct fouls by the defense on successful field goal attempts can now be enforced on the kickoff.
* Leaping rules on field goals and extra points have been altered to mirror those on punts. It is illegal to leap over the frame of the body of an opponent.
* Collaborative replay systems -- in which replays are reviewed and ruled upon from an off-site location such as a conference office rather than in the stadium -- will remain in effect.
from Auburn Sports Impact http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2018/04/ncaa_changes_kickoff_rule_to_i.html
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