No more kickoffs?!

[TheBigGriffkowski]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2652707-ncaa-afca-reportedly-have-discussed-eliminating-kickoffs-in-college-football

Thoughts?

[bigdaddyhawg]

A suck up to the anti-football crowd.

[Sportster365]

What's next flags? Kickoffs are exciting to watch, no better way to pop off a game than with a KO.

[PLHawg]

Probably just as well for us, as we haven't had a kicker who could get it into the end zone in recent memory.

[Inhogswetrust]

Dumbest idea ever in the history of football.

[The_Iceman]

Probably just as well for us, as we haven't had a kicker who could get it into the end zone in recent memory.

If you kick it to the endzone now, the other team gets it on the 25. If you have a kicker that can kick it high and land it inside the 10, you have a good shot of pinning them inside of 20 yards. I think most of the time, not kicking it into the endzone is by design now since they moved it up to the 25.

[KlubhouseKonnected]

I used to hate returning kickoffs... I really enjoyed wedge breaking though.

[Hawgar The Horrible]

Which would eliminate on side kicks as well. That is dumb.

[allredhog]

Would Alabama have beaten Clemson without the onside kick?  Since the injury crowd does not seem to care about punts, I have an alternative. Since the ball is free game after it goes 10 yards on a kickoff the team that wins the toss can choose offense, defense, which endzone it wants to go to or defer.  Much like it is now. If the team that wins takes defense, the loser gets the ball on their 40, 4th and ten. They can run a play to get a first down or they can punt or they can fake a punt.  Takes the kickoff out of the game but still lets you "cover the ball" after ten yards by making a first down

[bigdaddyhawg]

If you kick it to the endzone now, the other team gets it on the 25. If you have a kicker that can kick it high and land it inside the 10, you have a good shot of pinning them inside of 20 yards. I think most of the time, not kicking it into the endzone is by design now since they moved it up to the 25.

Thank you.  Coaches have been saying this since the 25 yard line was the touchback spot, but most folks on here bemoan the fact we don't kick it into the endzone.

[alohawg]

This is a great game......being fundamentally changed, one rule at a time until. 

[JaketheSnake]

If research can show that that will significantly reduce head/neck injuries, then I could deal with it.  It does provide some fireworks, but most KO returns are against weaker teams IMO. 

Not saying I would like it, but with the everything thats going on something is going to happen sooner or later. 

[PorkSoda]

If research can show that that will significantly reduce head/neck injuries, then I could deal with it.  It does provide some fireworks, but most KO returns are against weaker teams IMO. 

Not saying I would like it, but with the everything thats going on something is going to happen sooner or later. 

I'd have to see some real numbers supporting that compared to the injury rate on average.  I looked but I couldn't find the number for kickoffs specifically.  the average per capital injury rate is 8.1 injuries per 1000 exposures (games and practices)  30% of those being sprains and 7% being concussions.

They would need to show that those numbers are significantly increased for kickoffs. 

[JaketheSnake]

I'd have to see some real numbers supporting that compared to the injury rate on average.  I looked but I couldn't find the number for kickoffs specifically.  the average per capital injury rate is 8.1 injuries per 1000 exposures (games and practices)  30% of those being sprains and 7% being concussions.

They would need to show that those numbers are significantly increased for kickoffs. 

I agree.  T

[WMHawgfan]

Sarcastiball coming soon to a stadium near you.

[greenie]

I'm guessing that this would eliminate on-side kicks as well.  I don't like the sound of that.

[JaketheSnake]

I'm guessing that this would eliminate on-side kicks as well.  I don't like the sound of that.

I'm sure it would be more of an option if it ever passes?  Teams can opt to get the ball at the 25 or KO I would assume.

[PorkSoda]

I'm guessing that this would eliminate on-side kicks as well.  I don't like the sound of that.

I don't think they could eliminate it without replacing it with something equally strategic, but at some point its not going to be football anymore.

I understand wanting to make the game safer, but every player knows that there is the risk of injury and they make the decision play anyway.  Things like Targeting rules and better helmets are good for the game.  getting rid of key strategic aspects, is not so good IMO.

[alohawg]

I'd have to see some real numbers supporting that compared to the injury rate on average.  I looked but I couldn't find the number for kickoffs specifically.  the average per capital injury rate is 8.1 injuries per 1000 exposures (games and practices)  30% of those being sprains and 7% being concussions.

They would need to show that those numbers are significantly increased for kickoffs. 

The best way to reduce injury rates, particularly concussions, touch football or Madden.

[PorkSoda]

I'm sure it would be more of an option if it ever passes?  Teams can opt to get the ball at the 25 or KO I would assume.

kickers will eventually be a thing of the past.  it will be a game called football where its illegal for the foot to touch the ball.

[PorkSoda]

The best to reduce injury rates, particularly concussions, touch football or Madden.

I'm thinking they need those bubble suits. 

[alohawg]

I'm thinking they need those bubble suits. 

The way things are trending.......safest thing to do, take the ball and go home permanently. FFW to the yr. 2116, a football is just another museum piece encased at the Smithsonian.


That actually looks fun. ^^^

[Hugo Bezdek]

The safety concerns aren't new but I think there are better ways to deal with them than eliminate kickoffs altogether. I have seen some statistics in the past on concussions and the number of concussions per play were substantially higher for kickoffs than for passing or rushing plays. Here's an article from a few years ago with some good ideas from Mike Westhoff on how to make kickoffs safer.

http://mmqb.si.com/2013/10/04/mike-westhoff-special-teams

[Pigsknuckles]

I believe that the most important consideration is that such a rule would eliminate the unit of time measurement by which we plan for the game to start. That would be a scheduling nightmare to fans and networks alike. 

Seriously, who was the Arkansas player who was injured on a kick off in Little Rock a few years back? Was it Marcus Monk? Pretty serious stuff as I recall. Some type of abdominal injury.

[PonderinHog]

I believe that the most important consideration is that such a rule would eliminate the unit of time measurement by which we plan for the game to start. That would be a scheduling nightmare to fans and networks alike. 

Seriously, who was the Arkansas player who was injured on a kick off in Little Rock a few years back? Was it Marcus Monk? Pretty serious stuff as I recall. Some type of abdominal injury.

Dennis Johnson.  Perforated stomach - could have died.

[Suidae Suis Scrofa]

I understand wanting to make the game safer, but every player knows that there is the risk of injury and they make the decision play anyway. 

How many 8 year old pop warner kids do you think have any inkling of the possible repercussions of getting hit in the head, or the reasoning skills to understand the dangers?

-phil

[Inhogswetrust]

How many 8 year old pop warner kids do you think have any inkling of the possible repercussions of getting hit in the head, or the reasoning skills to understand the dangers?

-phil

Don't assume that all older players started playing that young or their parents didn't know. ALL sports have a risk of injury no matter what the age is.

[Pigsknuckles]

Dennis Johnson.  Perforated stomach - could have died.

Thanks. That was scary.

[PorkSoda]

How many 8 year old pop warner kids do you think have any inkling of the possible repercussions of getting hit in the head, or the reasoning skills to understand the dangers?

-phil

I'm pretty sure pop warner kids aren't hitting each other with same speed that NFL players are.  when I was that age, I thought people that played football in pads were wusses.  we definitely weren't worried about concussions.

[Piggfoot]

Eazy peazy. Just replace the KO with a punt. Both teams lineup on the 40 or whatever yard line is decided upon for a regular punt. Ball is snapped and punted. If the 40 is chosen a celebration penalty would line up on the 25. Rules the same for punting . Punting team has one down to make ten yards and keep the ball. (on side kick substitute)

[SantaHog]

The best idea that I've heard came from Bill Cowher, I believe.  The kicking team does not get to be in motion prior to the kick.  The team in possession of the ball is not allowed to be in motion on any other play, including punts, so why kickoffs?  This also changes the safety of onside kicks, drastically by changing a 20 yard running start to 10 yards.  Moving the kickoff back to the 40, but requiring the kicker to be within ten feet of the ball was another suggestion.  This virtually removes kickoffs through the back of the end zone.  Combining these two ideas, it would make kickoffs safer and still provide more balls in play to return.

[Hoggish1]

what about the onside kick?  I guess they didn't think about that...

[Smalltownhog95]

While we're at it let's take away pitchers from baseball to eliminate any chance of a line drive straight back at the mound.

[factchecker]

While we're at it let's take away pitchers from baseball to eliminate any chance of a line drive straight back at the mound.

I can't remember what show it was but there was some stir about how MLB should consider shortening the game to 7 innings.  It was a ratings (attention span) not a safety argument but still boggled my mind that someone would want to change the game.

[TheBigGriffkowski]

The Ivy League will kickoff from the 40 in conference games this year. Any touchbacks will be placed on the 20. NCAA experimenting with kickoff solutions.

http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/sec-football/wave-future-ncaa-approves-big-experiment-ivy-league-kickoffs/

[PorkSoda]

Eazy peazy. Just replace the KO with a punt. Both teams lineup on the 40 or whatever yard line is decided upon for a regular punt. Ball is snapped and punted. If the 40 is chosen a celebration penalty would line up on the 25. Rules the same for punting . Punting team has one down to make ten yards and keep the ball. (on side kick substitute)

completing a 10 yard pass is a lot easier than completing an onside kick.

[Hog N Bama]

They are going to just keep whittling away till football is no more

[SooiecidetillNuttgone]

This is a great game......being fundamentally changed, one rule at a time until. 

This.

[East Clintwood]

Have every college team sponsor a pee-wee football team and they suit up on game day.

On kickoffs, a college player does the actual kicking but then leaves the field while the opposing pee-wee teams run the remainder of the play.  These guys aren't big enough to hurt each other so that takes care of the injury situation.

The pee-wee players would make for an exciting and unpredictable kickoff return and coverage.

Everybody wins!!

[Swine-as-wine]

............... Moving the kickoff back to the 40, but requiring the kicker to be within ten feet of the ball was another suggestion.  This virtually removes kickoffs through the back of the end zone. 

not saying the idea is bad........but saying THAT eliminates kickoffs thru the endzone is horse manure. I played against
a kid in high school that two stepped all his kickoffs and we never returned a single one. So.........not close to true.

[Theolesnort]

 This is not hard. Move the kick off spot closer to the end zone where everyone would have a kicker that could kick it where it would be nonreturnable and spot it at the 20 like we used to do. That way very few teams would get cute and try to kick high to pin a team way back. Then you would still be able to on side kick when needed. One would think while it took long returns out of the game it would also reduce injuries. There is no perfect solution but this would seem to be the least disruptive to the integrity of the game as we now know it.

[SooiecidetillNuttgone]

This is not hard. Move the kick off spot closer to the end zone where everyone would have a kicker that could kick it where it would be nonreturnable and spot it at the 20 like we used to do. That way very few teams would get cute and try to kick high to pin a team way back. Then you would still be able to on side kick when needed. One would think while it took long returns out of the game it would also reduce injuries. There is no perfect solution but this would seem to be the least disruptive to the integrity of the game as we now know it.

I'm not sure there's a lot of integrity left.

300 yards passing is fairly common.
Running backs aren't all that valued.
Points are scored too easily.
Defense used to be tough and hard hitting, but now it's fluffy and cute with the goal of just slowing the offense down.
QBs are over protected.

Honestly, the kickoff issue is small compared to what's happened to the defensive side of the ball, IMHO.

[Pig Power]

what about the onside kick?  I guess they didn't think about that...

I was thinking the same thing.. Sure changes the end of half/game strategy

[flynhog]

A better idea is no more facemarks.  That fixes a lot of football issues.

[WizardofhOgZ]

With the current sensitivity to injury and the ability of sabermetrics to pinpoint actions that cause them, it's almost a foregone conclusion that the kickoff is on the endangered species list.  Sooner of later, they're going to take this away.  The stats are pretty conclusive. 

I've got to admit, as a traditionalist and with college football being my favorite of all sports to follow, I hate to see it go away totally.  The 100 yard dash for a TD is one of the most exciting plays in College Football.  I don't want to see it totally eliminated from the game.

So, why not do this; limit the kickoff to the the opening of each half - kind of like college basketball did with the jump ball (albeit for totally different reasons)?  In the typical game these days, I'd think there were 8 to 10 kickoffs (one to start each half, and then after each TD or FG).  So doing this would be about an 80% reduction in the frequency of the kickoffs, which should greatly reduce the injuries related to the play.

I would say you could retain on-side kicks, but only for teams (a) behind, and only (b) in the last 3 minutes of the second half.

[Inhogswetrust]

While we're at it let's take away pitchers from baseball to eliminate any chance of a line drive straight back at the mound.

And don't forget Hockey. This skates are sharp and need to be duller...........I saw one not to long ago cut the goalie and I though he was gonna bleed to death right there on the ice.