Rivals.com College Football - New rules put top official on the spot Starting this season, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty could erase a touchdown in certain circumstances. The NCAA approved the rule before last season, and it turns an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty into a live-ball foul instead of a dead-ball foul. If, for example, a player high steps, taunts or otherwise showboats on his way to the end zone, the penalty will erase the touchdown. The 15-yard penalty will be assessed at the spot of the foul. Previously, such penalties were enforced on the ensuing kickoff. A wide receiver more than seven yards from the center may only block below the waist against a player facing him or toward the nearest sideline. The same rule applies for running backs and receivers in the backfield and outside the tackle box. The change means blocking below the waist more than seven yards away from the center is illegal in most cases. On field goals and extra points, officials will call a penalty when three defensive players line up shoulder to shoulder in an attempt to penetrate the line of scrimmage to block a kick. Coaches voiced player safety concerns when one offensive lineman is overpowered by three defensive players on field-goal and PAT attempts. In more tweaking of clock rules, 10 seconds could be run off the game clock if a team commits a penalty in the final minute of each half. If officials call a penalty, the opponent has the option to accept the penalty and the 10-second rundown, accept the penalty without the 10-second rundown, or to decline both the 10-second rundown and the penalty.
The taunting rule change is going to have a major effect on a couple of games this year. I just hope to hell it's not one of our games. I think it's a stupid rule and generally speaking, the taunting/celebration rule has gone too far and is too subjective in college football.
couldn't agree with you more. I already feel sorry for the first poor bastard that dives into the endzone, and they bring the ball back to the 2, then take off 15 yards. Going to really screw someone, and I wouldn't be shocked if it was us in Tuscaloosa.
It's way too subjective of a call to wipe out a touchdown and move the ball back 15 yards. I remember the LSU-UGA game where the officials were some uptight douches and called unsportsmanlike conduct on AJ green and Charles Scott on back-to-back touchdowns just for being excited. It's ridiculous. It gives the officials WAY too much power in determining the outcome of the game. If anything, they should just make it a spot foul and not take off the 15 yards.
I think it should just stay how it is. Is there a big problem with players celebrating in the NCAA? No. So if it ain't broke, why are they trying to fix it? You are absolutely correct when you say that the NCAA is trying to give more power to the officials and they already have enough power in my opinion. When you start giving officials the power to speculate, nothing good can come out of that.
I suspect they will call only flagrant showboating, taunting, high-stepping, or dancing. Chickenchit stuff like holding up the "number 1" finger or pumping your fist in celebration should be no-calls. Acknowledging the fans with a wave should be permitted but taunting the fans should not.
The only good news is that both of those calls, even with the new rule, would not take points off the board.
But that's the problem. Certainly, some calls shouldn't be made, but like LaSalle said, I could certainly see us congratulate each other in the endzone in Tuscaloosa and watch a TD get erased--really, really quickly... This rule change scares me.
If you get a penalty for celebrating in the end zone it's assessed on the kick off. It's just when you dive into the endzone or high step in or taunt someone before you are in the end zone that you will get the points taken off the board.
This is some BULLSCHITE! So if a O-Line guy jumped with 9 seconds left the other team can say run the clock out?!?
