BYU wants to take advantage of rule changes
Bronco Mendenhall expects a new NCAA kickoff rule changes to impact the way the Cougars perform.
A new rules states if the kicking team kicks he ball out of bounds on a kickoff, the receiving team has the choice of receiving another kickoff, or have the ball first and 10 at he 40 yard line instead of the 35.
Mendenhall expects his kickers, Mitch Payne and incoming freshman Justin Sorensen, to be capable of kicking the ball through the end zone this year. Sorensen has a proven, powerful leg and distance isn’t an issue. Payne played last season injured, limiting his range.
The past several years, the Cougar kickoff team has given up huge chunks of yardage, setting up opponents near midfield. If Payne/Sorensen start belting kickoffs out of the end zone, or so many are not returnable, it will be a significant boost to the Cougar defense and cover teams.
“It will really impact the game,” said Mendenhall. “When you consider if you kick the ball out of bounds, it will go to the 40, knowing what it will do to scoring and knowing if Payne or Sorensen can kick it out of the end zone, it will make a difference. If you kick it out of bounds, it will be like giving the opposing offense two first downs.”
Mendenhall said the Cougars ranked last in the nation in field goals attempted last year but he doesn’t think it affected the team’s scoring average that much. Knowing that, he believes his staff might be more willing to consider an expanded fourth-down territory, or use an extra down to try to get a touchdown. “It didn’t affect the wins last year. It lends itself to more fourth down attempts or expanding four down territory a little longer than before.
“The kickoff might be more important than the field goal component. It will be interesting to look at. I don’t want to give the ball on the 40 to an opponent,” said Mendenhall.
There are other rule changes. There will be implementation of a 40/25-second play clock, similar to that of the NFL. At the end of every play, the 40-second clock will start, which is the rule in the NFL. The old college rules featured a 25-second clock that did not start until the officials marked the ball ready for play. On a change of possession, the first play will be run on a 25-second clock.
The NCAA adopted this rule because of different officials used different amounts of time to mark the ball ready for play.
The rules committee made another recommendation that will certainly shorten the game.
After a player runs out of bounds and the ball is made ready to play, the official will start the game clock. Under the old rules the game clock would not start until the ball was snapped. This new rule will not apply in the final two minutes of the first half and the final two minutes of the game.
In other recommended rules changes:
? A coach will get an extra instant replay challenge if his first one is upheld. Under the old rule the coach had only one challenge whether he was right or wrong. Under the new rule the coach, if he’s right, will get one extra challenge, but no more.
? The incidental five-yard facemask penalty will be eliminated. Only the 15-yard facemask penalties will be called.
? A “horse collar” tackle, where the defender grabs inside the back collar of the shoulder pads to pull the runner down, will now be a personal foul.
? There will no longer be sideline warnings for players and coaches who crowd onto the field during the game. The official may assess a five-yard penalty without a warning for the infraction.
(Pac-10 home field officials will really like that last one).
What impact do you think these rule changes will have on BYU’s season – particularly the kickoff rule and the Cougar’s anticipated increased acumen and delivering end zone kickoffs?