GarageGabs

Submitted By Mac Deters (Special Correspondent)

I love college football, but there need to be some
rule changes to bring more consistency and fairness to
the game.

First, a new rule was added this year in regard to the
clock. This rule is probably just a first step in the
ever growing greed of sports. This year, the clock
starts on a change of possession. It’s actually done to shorten
the game but they will gradually add more and more
commercials.

This is a HORRIBLE rule and really hurts the strategy
at the end of close games. Its like losing a timeout,
if not several timeouts when a team is trying to come back. It’s an old high school rule and way outdated.
Shame on college football for bringing it back. Oh, I
forgot, American sports have no shame.

Ok, here are my proposed rule changes…

1) Don’t stop the clock on first downs until late in
halves. This is a simple solution for shortening the
game. Do we really need to stop the clock for a first
down with 8:00 left in the first quarter.

My proposal- Begin stopping clock on first downs
inside of two minutes in first half and inside of five
minutes in the second half.

2) Don’t restart the clock on offensive penalties. Ever
notice how a team will get delay of game and then the
ref spots the ball, then restarts the clock? Does he
do this every time? If so, lets say there are 10:00
left in 4th quarter. I’m winning by a point and other
team is out of timeouts. Correct me if I’m wrong, but
the strategy here is to get 24 consecutive delay of
games and then dump Gatorade on my ass.
I’ve seen teams be able to end games because they got a
holding penalty. The opponent can do nothing because
if they accept it, the clock runs. If they decline it,
its a first down. Game Over either way.

3) Another clock rule; If all that makes the game too
long, shorten the game to 12 minute quarters. I’d
rather do that and have a consistent, fair game.

4) Pass interference needs to be a spot foul like the
NFL.

5) One other rule that they added this year. I almost
forgot. Yet another clock rule. They now start the
clock as soon as the ball is kicked on a kickoff.
Again, just to waste time.
Get rid of this awful rule.

6) A player shouldn’t be able to fumble out of bounds
to stop the clock. For Example: Matt Leinhart in USC vs. Notre Dame
last year. If that was NFL, the game would have ended
long before the referees misplaced the ball at the
1-foot line and allowed “aiding the runner” to “win”
the game for USC.

One more rule addition that I think would be great,
but forgot to mention…

How about either a 40-second or 45-second play clock?
How easy would that be to bring more consistency to
games, especially the end of games?