FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[ADL70]

Not to disagree with the specter of the enormous impact of an overzealous application of the rule, but I don't believe even DI can use replay to review such a call. 

As far as the spike timing, I've got to believe that the rule was the result of viewing a substantial number of such plays.  It would eliminate the effect of the timers reaction time.

[bashbrother]

Great hypothetical example Wally....   to be fair and take the pressure off the referees to determine and rule on these instances that happen so fast, I believe enforcement of that rule (at any Division Level) should be that the refs will mark the time of the play and then review game film after the game to determine intent.   If true intent was seen after careful film study,  the player would be suspended for the next full game.

This is not formal replay system for everything, it would simply give the ruling parties involved a focused and in-depth chance to give it proper review. 

Just a thought.

[smedindy]

Now get a load of this one:
Minimum Time For A Play After Spiking The Ball
ARTICLE 5. a. If the game clock is stopped and will start on the referee's signal with three or more seconds remaining in the quarter, the offense may reasonably expect to throw the ball directly to the ground (Rule 7-3-2-e) and have enough time for another play.
b. With two seconds or one second on the game clock there is enough time for only one play. (A.R. 3-3-5-I)

Ergo, if Team A trails by two and hits a long pass down to the 15 yard line for a first down (clock stops to move the chains) and there is 2.5 seconds left on the game clock, the NCAA has decided that it is PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE for a team to line up, snap the ball, and throw it into the ground before time expires, which is obviously horseplop.  Teams are going to lose games because of this. 

Yeah, this is BS.

It makes me think of the Trent Tucker rule in the NBA. Of course, that is 0.3 of a second, not 3 full seconds.

I think in trying to deal with some shady home-cooking clock operation the NCAA may have moved the goalposts, as it were. Instead of relying on the clock operator to start and stop the clock quickly on a spike they're going to have some operators e-x-t-e-n-d those seconds to make sure it's at 3...

[DPU3619]

I have always had a lot of respect for Coach Mourouzis. I only ever spoke with him once, during Bell Week, for The Bachelor. Very gracious dealing with a kid from the enemy school. He deserves the honor.

Y'all got any update photos of the new field, Wes?

Going to try to get down there in the next couple of weeks and check it out for myself.

BTW, thanks for the #touchingofficials shoutout, wally.

[ExTartanPlayer]

We'll see how the rule is enforced, but I think if you get thrown out for head hunting, you are most likely going to deserve it.

jknezek, I think you've put forth some very good arguments (as I generally expect from you), and the ONLY thing I disagree with is this final statement here.  I do think it's possible, even likely, that some kids will be tossed from games this year when they really shouldn't be (and on the flip side, some with "bad intentions" will be allowed to remain in the game).

I very much like bashbrother's suggestion of marking "suspicious" plays and looking at video afterwards to determine if a suspension is warranted (taking this a step further, couldn't they just stipulate all personal fouls to be reviewed after the game?)

This would avoid the problem of throwing a player out of the present game as a knee-jerk reaction to a bang-bang play viewed at full speed without the benefit of replay, while still keeping a strong deterrent in place (the one-game suspension that can be doled out if, upon review, the play is deemed inappropriate) that would encourage players to keep it clean.

To be honest, this whole debate has always been tough for me.  I played football for 15 years and seriously question whether I'll let my hypothetical-future-sons play the game.  I genuinely do love the sport and believe that some measure of "violence" in the game is just part of the beast, but head trauma is a very real issue (I have been somewhat involved in concussion research during my PhD) and I have typically found myself arguing in favor of all new rules that protect the head.

[wally_wabash]

Not to disagree with the specter of the enormous impact of an overzealous application of the rule, but I don't believe even DI can use replay to review such a call. 

As far as the spike timing, I've got to believe that the rule was the result of viewing a substantial number of such plays.  It would eliminate the effect of the timers reaction time.

Disqualification is subject to review (point of contact, use of the helmet, etc.), but the targeting aspect is not.  A player could be saved from disqualification by a replay review, but the 15 yard penalty stands no matter what.  But of course, that's only for venues that can utilize an adequate form of instant replay, which is probably not any of us.  Now, in places where replay is not available, a school can initiate a video review of the play higher up the NCAA food chain after the game and get any disqualification that carries over voided, but what the heck good is that to a team that lost their player for a game?  The whole guilty until proven innocent aspect of this doesn't sit well with me.  Disqualifying players for four quarters because of incidental contact isn't appropriate. 

[wally_wabash]

BTW, thanks for the #touchingofficials shoutout, wally.

#touchingofficials might be the best thing that's come from a DePauw product in, well, ever.  I'm on board and will be an active participant this fall.  With the tweeting.  Not the touching. 

[jknezek]

Ex -- You didn't read my statement, or the whole passage, closely enough. It says you are "probably" going to deserve it. There is a chance you didn't. I also wrote "mistakes will be made". In other words, I agree with you. Sometimes a bang bang play is going to be wrong. But DIII doesn't need replay. It doesn't need to be "marked" and reviewed later. These are part time refs. Game over, go home. You got paid to ref the game, not to spend hours reviewing and trying to figure out if you made a mistake. Well... send it to the conference to decide. Yeah? Whose job is that? Who wants to be that person for the conference? 

Similarly, what video are you going to use? This isn't the NFL or D1 with 14 cameras in the stadiums. You are telling me that the one camera operator, at the 50 yard line, from the top of a press box, not zoomed in, possibly late to the play has a better view than the ref whose job it is to be on top of that play? Maybe the camera would be useful, but its probably going to be inconclusive. Look, this is DIII. It's not that important. Kid gets thrown out for head hunting? He probably tackled incorrectly. If he didn't, gee, that's too bad. Life isn't fair.

This happens in every other sport. What's the big deal about football? In fact, from a game perspective, it's way more critical in soccer where not only do you lose the player for the next game, but you finish the game short handed. And you only have 11 players, so unlike football, the loss is magnified on both offense and defense. In football, however, if you head hunt someone you could paralyze them, let alone the ongoing research into concussions.

In my opinion this is a mountain out of a mole hill. More games are likely to be decided by regular penalties missed or incorrectly assessed than having a kid pitched out for an ugly tackle. The odds on that kid being an irreplaceable star? Pretty small when you look at these teams rotating multiple guys through every position during a game.

I do know one thing, I'll try and keep my boys away from football. If they really want to play, I won't stop them. But they are going to have to really want it before I sign those forms. The research is getting much too ugly and it seems like there is way too much concern from fans and players about keeping the game as violent as possible instead of as safe as is reasonable.

[wally_wabash]

From the rulebook:

For games in which Instant Replay is not used: If a player is disqualified in the second half, the conference may consult the national coordinator of football officials who would then facilitate a video review. Based on the review, if the national coordinator concludes that the player should not have been disqualified, the conference may vacate the suspension. If the national coordinator supports the disqualification, the suspension for the next game will remain.

Word on the streets is that they had a whole team of people in Indy ready to review plays from FCS, D2, and D3 games each and every week, but that division was being funded by jersey sales.   

[jknezek]

Word on the streets is that they had a whole team of people in Indy ready to review plays from FCS, D2, and D3 games each and every week, but that division was being funded by jersey sales.   

+1 

[bashbrother]

We will see how that rule plays out.   Hopefully it will only be used when it is absolutely obvious.  I played with a safety back in the late 80's that would have probably missed at least 3-4 games a year under that rule.....  the guy was a little pyscho.

So with Depauw's new rug,  is there any natural grass left in the NCAC?

[cave2bens]

We will see how that rule plays out.   Hopefully it will only be used when it is absolutely obvious.  I played with a safety back in the late 80's that would have probably missed at least 3-4 games a year under that rule.....  the guy was a little pyscho.

So with Depauw's new rug,  is there any natural grass left in the NCAC?

Oberlin - re. the head-hunting statute, wonder how many receivers coaches will be teaching the "side-line" duck now 

[Bishopleftiesdad]

I have always had a lot of respect for Coach Mourouzis. I only ever spoke with him once, during Bell Week, for The Bachelor. Very gracious dealing with a kid from the enemy school. He deserves the honor.

Y'all got any update photos of the new field, Wes?

Going to try to get down there in the next couple of weeks and check it out for myself.

BTW, thanks for the #touchingofficials shoutout, wally.

Looks a lot better than when I was out there in the spring.  It was all mud and dirt. They have made great progress since then.

[Li'l Giant]

I have always had a lot of respect for Coach Mourouzis. I only ever spoke with him once, during Bell Week, for The Bachelor. Very gracious dealing with a kid from the enemy school. He deserves the honor.

Y'all got any update photos of the new field, Wes?

Going to try to get down there in the next couple of weeks and check it out for myself.

BTW, thanks for the #touchingofficials shoutout, wally.

Thanks, Wes. Are the stands on the other side of the field being rebuilt?

[DPU3619]

Everything is being rebuilt.  Visitor lockers, scoreboard, visitor stands, etc.  They're trying to raise the home stands, as well.  Pretty extensive project they're taking on, but it's going to look fantastic when it's done.