Rule Changes for the 2008 - 2009 Year

The NCAA recently revealed some of the rule changes agreed upon by the coaches this year. You might notice a college game feels a little bit more like an NFL game this year and it won't be for the money that college guys make this time. New rules include:

• 5 Yard Penalty for Horse Collar Tackle: This is a rule that the NFL previously added and one that I support. Defensive players can no longer grab an offensive player by the back neck of his jersey on a tackle. Purely a rule aimed at increasing player safety, my only complaint is that I would like to see it be at least a 10 yard penalty.
• New Clock Rules: Here is the other spot where you feel like you are watching an NFL game.
  
• 40 Second Play Clock: In most cases the play clock will now be set to 40 seconds and will begin running at the conclusion of the previous play.
  
• 25 Second Play Clock: The traditional 25 second play clock will only be used after timeouts, injuries, and penalties.
  
• Out of bounds Restart: In most cases the game clock will restart once the ball is placed on the field instead of when the ball is snapped. The only exceptions to this rule are in the last 2 minutes of the halves when it will start on the snap.
• Instant Replay Additions: A couple of new plays are now available for review:
• Fumble after whistle: Replay officials will now have the ability to replay these calls
• FG Kicks: Replay officials will now be able to review cases of above or below the crossbar as well as inside or outside the uprights.
  
• Coaches Challenge: Coaches will now receive 1 additional challenge if their first one is successful. It's important to note that every play is still reviewed though but coaches do still have the option to challenge.
  
• Automatic 15 Yard Face Mask Penalty: Gone are the days of referees having to make a judgment on the intent of the face mask penalty. This rule surprised me as I didn't think it was that hard of a determination. With players flying all over the place, incidental face mask penalties are bound to occur. In these such cases, there is no reason for it to be a 15 yard penalty. This rule feels like overkill to me.
  

All in all, I'm happy with the changes. I would make a few small changes but I don't think the new rules will severely change the flow of a game. I still wish the NCAA would address down by contact as players should be able to advance if they fall and have not been touched.