When the meeting of the NCAA’s rules committee concludes on April 20, college football as we know it could change.
The NCAA has proposed four rule changes that could shave time off of college football games in an effort to end games faster, and potentially cut down on the number of injuries sustained in an average game. The rules, if approved, could eliminate 6-8 plays per contest.
Auburn head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] was asked about the potential changes during Monday’s media availability. He says that he is not yet ready to share his opinion on the changes.
“I don’t have an opinion yet, (but) I will after the season, I’m sure,” Freeze said.
Although he has chosen to see the new rules in action before sharing his thoughts, Freeze did say that he enjoys the current product that college football currently exhibits.
“We have such a great product. When I’m sitting in those meetings, and I don’t have much of a voice, I’ve just said our game is − in our last meeting I was in − that our game is, I think, as exciting as any sport that is out there,” Freeze said. “I just hate to see us tinker with too many rules. I’m being told that that’s going to eliminate six to eight plays a game, possibly. So, it shouldn’t affect it terribly.”
When it comes down to it, Freeze says that it affects the fan in attendance more than coaches, players, and fans who choose to watch the game in the comforts of their own homes.
“I mean, the people sitting on their couches, and they choose to do that, great, I’m glad they’re tuning in; we need that,” Freeze said. “But they can get up and go get a beverage and another piece of sausage and cheese plate in their kitchen and come back during the commercial.”
The potential changes that college football fans could see this season include eliminating back-to-back timeouts and continuing to run the clock after a team gains a first down.
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