NCAA FOOTBALL RULES CHANGES FOR 2013

NCAA FOOTBALL RULESCHANGES FOR 2013

Rogers ReddingSecretary-Rules Editor

National Coordinator of OfficialsEdited for IAFA by Tony Rivers

Director of Officiating

CHANGES FOR 2013Outline

• Targeting Fouls: Automatic Disqualification• Blocking Below the Waist: Much Simpler!• Helmets Coming Off: Stay In With Timeout• Injury: 10-Second Runoff Option• Minimum Time to Spike for Another Play

CHANGES FOR 2013Outline (Cont.)

• Helping Ball Carrier: Eliminate “Push” and “Charge Into”

• Uniforms: Player Who Changes Jerseys Must Report to the Referee

• Players At Same Position: Not Wear Same Number

• Numerals: Clearly Contrast With Jersey

TARGETING FOULSAUTOMATIC DISQUALIFICATION

Targeting With Crown of Helmet (9-1-3)Targeting To Head/Neck of Defenseless

Player (9-1-4)• Automatic Disqualification– Instant Replay May Review

• FOUL Has Not Changed– What Was Targeting In 2012 Remains Targeting In

2013– Defenseless Player Definition Expanded


DEFENSELESS PLAYER (2-27-14)• Player In The Act Of Or Just After Throwing A Pass.• Receiver Attempting To Catch A Pass, Or One Who Has

Completed A Catch And Has Not Had Time To Protect Himself Or Has Not Clearly Become A Ball Carrier.

• Kicker In The Act Of Or Just After Kicking A Ball, Or During The Kick Or The Return.

• Kick Returner Attempting To Catch Or Recover A Kick.


DEFENSELESS PLAYER (Cont.)• Player On The Ground.• Player Obviously Out Of The Play.• Player Who Receives A Blind-Side Block.• Ball Carrier Already In The Grasp Of An

Opponent And Whose Forward Progress Has Been Stopped.

• Quarterback Any Time After A Change Of Possession.

BLOCKING BELOW THE WAIST

TEAM ALow-Blocking Zone: Seven Yards From The Snapper, Five Yards Beyond Neutral Zone, And Back To The End Line. • Linemen In This Zone And Stationary Backs

Inside The Tackle Box And Inside The Second Lineman May Block Below The Waist Inside The Zone Until The Ball Has Left The Zone

“Inside” => At Least Partially Inside


TEAM A (Cont.)• Players Outside The Zone, And All Players After The

Ball Has Left The Zone, May Legally Block Below The Waist From The Front (“10 O’clock To 2 O’clock”).

• After The Ball Has Left The Zone No Player May Block Below The Waist Toward His Own End Line.

• Restricted Players May Not Block Below Waist (“Crackback”) Toward Original Position of the Ball.


TEAM B• Team B Players May Block Below The Waist Only

Within The Band Five Yards On Either Side Of The Line Of Scrimmage.

• They May NOT Block Below The Waist:– Against An Opponent In Position To Receive A

Backward Pass.– Against An Eligible Receiver Beyond The Neutral

Zone Unless Attempting To Get To The Ball Or The Ball Carrier.


ALL PLAYERSMay Not Block Below The Waist• During A Free Or Scrimmage Kick Down• After A Change Of Team Possession


• FORGET: “Adjacent Sideline”!• FORGET: “North-South Line”!• FORGET: Mapping A Player Back To His Position At The

Snap!

• REMEMBER: Low-Blocking Zone and Who May Legally Block Low There

• REMEMBER: Legal From The Front (10-to-2)• REMEMBER: Not Toward Own End Line• REMEMBER: Crackback Is Illegal

CLOCK-RELATED CHANGES

• Helmet Off: Timeout Option To Keep Player In The Game

• Injury Timeout: 10-Second Runoff In Last Minute Of Half– Play Clock: 40 For Defense, 25 For Offense

• Minimum Time To Spike The Ball For Another Play: 3 Seconds

UNIFORM AND FIELD

• Player Who Enters Game With A New Number Must Report To The Referee

• Two Players Playing The Same Position May Not Wear The Same Number

• Numerals Must Clearly Contrast With The Jersey

POSTSCRIMMAGE KICK ENFORCEMENT

• PSK Applies To Most Team B Fouls After The Ball Is Kicked.– Not Roughing/Running Into The Kicker (Still PS

Enforcement)– Not Leaping The Shield (Still PS Enforcement)

• No 3-Yards Downfield Requirement

UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT

• Now Includes After-Action Personal Fouls (“Chicken-Fighting,” Mutual Pushing-Shoving, Etc.)

• These Are Counted In The Two UNS That Lead To Automatic Disqualification.

Documents

NCAA FOOTBALL RULES CHANGES FOR 2013