New Kickoff Rule=More Injuries?

[orange+white=heaven]

Will moving the ball back five yards on kickoffs result in more players being carted off the field this year? Is the byproduct of a rule intended to speed up the game, a rule that puts special teams players at even greater risk?

The Times Free Press' Darren Epps wonders as much, and writes about it this morning...

TFP:Epps

Two years ago during a game at Florida, Tennessee's Chris Brown watched a kickoff sail over his head and into the arms of Chris Hannon. It was returnable, so Brown turned around and braced himself.
There are anchors and there are kamikazes in the world of kickoff returns, and Brown was an anchor.
The kamikaze was a Florida player desperate to end his 50-yard sprint by splattering Hannon across the Florida Field turf. Most people watch the return man during kickoffs, but the most violent collisions in football are often between the anchors, who form a wedge to protect the returner, and those savage kamikazes.
Brown anchored himself, tried to time the block and braced for what he now calls a collision he'll never forget.
"It was big time," said Brown, who also plays tight end. "We hit so hard neither one of us fell. It was a stalemate."

Why is this suddenly an issue? College football just pushed kickoffs back 5 yards to the 30 yard-line, meaning fewer touchbacks and more eager kamikazes.

Dr. Elton Strauss, chief of orthopedic trauma at Mount Sinai (N.Y.) School of Medicine
"The defensive team is going to have more time to build inertia and get around heavier-set players in the wedge. The guy with the ball is going to be naked in the open field," Strauss said. "We expect to see a lot more knee and ankle injuries and, unfortunately, one or two big-time, serious injuries."

The new rule presents a paradox for coaches: Most of them say they'll use more starters on kickoff returns and stop deferring possession until the second half if they win the toss. They also admit the rule change would create more potential for injuries.
The result could be more key players being helped to the sideline, victims of kamikazes.
"I would imagine guys would get banged up a little more than they have," Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "The kickoff, I think, is pretty volatile. It's a pretty violent play, especially when you get to game day and guys are flying down the field as fast as they can."

...Until then, kickoffs are likely to land around the 9-yard line with a drop in touchback rate from 29.9 percent to 8.8 percent, according to cfbstats.com. There could be more collisions, more points and quicker restroom breaks for fans watching at home.
"It's going to be one of the most significant rule changes to come about in recent years, maybe a decade," Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said.

Colquitt gets the last line, appropiately enough known in writing as... the kicker...

"They don't like to make rules to help us," Tennessee kicker Britton Colquitt said. "Hey, nobody likes kickers."

In today's 'headline and react' world, some kid lands paralyzed in a major college hospital and this rule gets changed in a hurry.

 

[Volmania]

I think the injury angle is probably being over played.

The NFL has been using the 30 yard line for kickoffs for several seasons. Nearly every kickoff is returned, the players are bigger, faster and heavier than college players and injuries seem to be about the same as before moving the ball back.

 

[cd12]

Not to go off topic OW...but when you mentioned "speed up the game"....it got me to thinking......are those crazy rules from last year going to be used again this year?

to answer your question I will say that with more returns...the more likelyhood for more injuries.

 

[General Jack]

Clock rules have changed back to what they were prior to last season.

I don't see how there can't be more injuries, driven by the simple fact that there will be significantly more returns than previously. Returns = contact; touchbacks = much less contact, if any.

 

[hohenfelsvol]

Agree with CD. More returns equal more chances for injuries. We'll have to see how the odds play out this season.

 

[swampbear]

More Touchdowns for Desean Jackson

 

[orange+white=heaven]

I think the injury angle is probably being over played.

The NFL has been using the 30 yard line for kickoffs for several seasons. Nearly every kickoff is returned, the players are bigger, faster and heavier than college players and injuries seem to be about the same as before moving the ball back.

At first blush, the point about the NFL seems astute.
Consider though, that an NFL team is able to spend more time working on special teams. Also, as you point out, they are a higher caliber athlete, therefore more likely to be able to protect themselves.

I actually like the excitement factor the new rule brings to the game, and have been for it. As I said above though, one kid gets paralyzed by a low flying linebacker who has a bullseye on the ball carrier and this rule will see some serious scrutiny.

I look forward to seeing this all play out. Could be the most impactful rule change in a long long time...

*edit
...This by the way is a pretty astounding number...

kickoffs are likely to land around the 9-yard line with a drop in touchback rate from 29.9 percent to 8.8 percent, according to cfbstats.com.

 

[orange+white=heaven]

One other thing in the article I had not considered...

"Most of them say they'll use more starters on kickoff returns and stop deferring possession until the second half if they win the toss. "

I'll be really curious to see if Tennessee takes the ball if they win the toss...

 

[Chat_Town VOL]

Anchors and kamikazes? Were in the heck did he get his football terminology from? It was always the wedge and wedge busters when I played. Anyway I think the rule is dumb.

 

[Volmania]

Does anybody know what year the NCAA changed the kickoffs from the 40 to the 35 yard line?

 

[PowerT83]

I just hope the scores dont start looking like the AFL.

I bet we see less surprise onside kicks this year.

 

[JZVOL]

Considering our special teams have been terrible this is bad for us.