Also from Minn./Philly. Minn. kicked off to the Eagles. After the runback we found out that Minnesota was offsides. In the NFL, the 5 yards is "added on" to the runback. Does the fun ever start?

Hrm didn't know that. I wonder if Eagles have an option to rekick with the 5 yard penalty.

REPLY: Actually, beginning this season, this is also an option in NCAA. The penalty for A/K being offsides (this is actually called "encroachment" in NCAA rules) is: Live-ball foul. Five yards from the previous spot and re-kick or five yards from the spot where the dead ball belongs to Team B after Team B’s run, or five yards from the spot where the ball is placed after a touchback. And the signal for this infraction is S19.

I believe the NCAA's logic was

a)who needs more kickoffs (where the crap really flies)

and

b) it adds time to an already long game.

I think part of the logic was also that a great many of these fouls are declined, so there was no real penalty. Teams could send it's guys with little fear of an actual 5-yard loss, as most teams declined it to ensure that they kept the ball.