The NCAA made some changes to the football rules Friday, including eliminating wedge blocking by more than two players, writing messages on eye black and, though not until 2011, a crackdown on touchdown celebrations. DB Sports senior staffers take some time to debate the changes and how they can help or hurt college football.
Change No. 1: A crackdown on wedge blocking, which allows groups of blockers to link together.
Ryan Eshoff: Potato wedges, Wedge Antilles and sand wedges are all great things (I tend to find the latter particularly useful). Wedge blocking? Not so much. Sure, there are few plays in football more exciting than a great kickoff return, but it’s not worth the risk of guys getting concussed. That’s a big enough issue itself.
Farzad Mashhood: It’s always a good move by the NCAA to look out for players and help them avoid injuries, especially head injuries. That said, there’s nothing more beautiful than four up-backs holding hands as they create a path for their kick returner. Well, at least they still allow two-man wedge blocking.
Change No. 2: Players will no longer be permitted to post messages on their eye black.
Eshoff: Personally, I admired a guy like Tim Tebow ““ who is one of the perceived reasons for this rule ““ for displaying evidence of his faith through Bible verses. But then there are things like Reggie Bush’s famed “619” facial exhibit. What was that, Reggie, your area code or your monthly salary? This rule won’t affect much.
Mashhood: Oh well. Seems like an awfully picky change by the NCAA, but they’re just trying to avoid gang messages. I agree with my colleague that I admire players who are not afraid to share their faith on eye black, but, like I said. Not a heartbreaking change.
Change No. 3 (in 2011): Taunting could carry a much harsher penalty, even as far as officials calling back a touchdown.
Eshoff: This one could be interesting, but only if NCAA officials have more common sense than the average goal post. It’s a legitimate worry. One of the most egregious calls of all time was when Washington’s Jake Locker threw the ball up into the air in jubilation after beating BYU and was flagged. Come on now.
Mashhood: Ah come on, NCAA! They already make enough money off college football players, and now they won’t even let them have a little fun? I’m all for shutting down taunting. I can’t stand cocky athletes who mock their opponents. But punish the players, not the team. Thumbs down.
What other rule changes would you next like to see in college football?
Eshoff: How about elimination of punting? Or, make it mandatory that teams run a minimum of three trick plays per game. Seriously though, the only thing that merits change in the college game is the one-foot-in rule on receptions, but even that serves to inflate gaudy passing numbers. And everyone enjoys those.
Mashhood: If you love something, you will set it free. That’s my relationship with college football, so it’s hard to tell it to change. Everything that makes the game so random, so unpredictable and so passion-based is deeply embedded in all the differences it has from the NFL rules.