NCAA kickoff

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

Yes ... and more than a tiny bit. Most players will not be at full speed when crossing the kicking line now.

I think the effect will be much smaller than you think. First of all, very few players that I can recall used to take more than a 5 yard run before reaching their line anyway, and those who did may have stretched it to just 8 yds. or so. But let's say they wanted to make it a 10 yd. run. If they sprint, what percentage of their full speed do you think they reach in 10 yds. as opposed to 5? I'd say they might gain an additional 15%, generously. So what difference will that make in traversing the 10 yds. of the neutral zone? A tenth of a sec.? 0.2? And if the idea is to reduce their momentum after they traverse it, that difference is going to be even more minuscule.

Doesn't really matter now though, since every single kick is a touchback. It will affect onsides kicks, that's about it.

But elsewhere I've read there's been a differential touchback adopted too.

[Robert Goodman]

If the intention was to slow the kicking team down albeit only a tiny bit, here's how they should have worded it:

"No player of K may be in motion continuously forward throughout any interval that that begins with him more than 5 yards behind his restraining line and ends when he enters the neutral zone, unless he makes the kick."

That would allow players to mill around more than 5 yards back, and they could even start their run forward from back there provided they stop forward motion before entering the neutral zone. For instance, they could run on an S path that's flat at some point within 5 yds. their side of the NZ, or they could stop in that area before starting again, or they could simply fail to enter the NZ.

The only problem with that wording would be some fluke where play during the down has players of K running back toward their own end line and then forward again. So, final wording:

"No player of K may be in motion continuously forward throughout any interval that that begins before the kick with him more than 5 yards behind his restraining line and ends when he enters the neutral zone, unless he makes the kick."

Just thought I'd leave both versions in there to show the thought process.

[APG]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

But elsewhere I've read there's been a differential touchback adopted too.

The ball goes to the 25 yard line now in NCAA on touchbacks from free kicks.