read about more of the changes if you wish

Posted on: July 21, 2025 at 19:55:35 CT

Feigning Injuries:
Proposed Change - Rule - 3-3-6
Injury Timeout
ARTICLE 6.
a. In the event of an injured player(s):
1. An official will declare a timeout and the player(s) must leave the game. That player must remain
out of the game for at least one down, even if that team is granted a team timeout. When in
question, officials will take a timeout for an injured player. If a player presents as injured after the
ball is spotted by officials, that team will be charged a Team Timeout or a delay penalty if all
timeouts have been used (A.R. 3-3-6 X-XII).
2. The player(s) may not return to the game until receiving approval of professional medical
personnel designated by their institution.
Timeouts in Extra Periods:
Proposed Change – Rule 3-1-3-h
h. Timeouts.
Each team shall be allowed one timeout for the first extra period and one timeout for the second
extra period. Each team will be allowed one timeout beginning with the third extra period until the
game is ended. (Rule 3-3-8) Timeouts not used during the regulation periods may not be carried
over into the extra period(s). Unused extra-period timeouts may not be carried over to other extra
periods. Timeouts between periods shall be charged to the succeeding period.
Radio and television timeouts are permitted only after the first and second extra periods. Charged
team timeouts may not be extended for radio and television purposes. The extra period(s) begins
when the ball is first snapped.
In the absence of a media timeout, after the second and fourth extra period, there will be a two
minute mandatory break period.
Instant Replay – Referee Announcement
Proposed Change – Rule 12-6-1-d
d. After the referee has conferred with the replay official and the review process has been
completed, the referee shall make one of the following announcements:
1. If the video evidence confirms the on-field ruling or if there is no clear and obvious evidence to
overturn the on-field ruling:
“After further review, the ruling on the field is upheld.”
2. If there is no indisputable (conclusive) evidence to overturn the on-field ruling:
“After further review, the ruling on the field stands.” (Exception: 12-3- 5-a — Stands is not an
allowable ruling for targeting.)
2. If the on-field ruling is overturned (Rule 12-7):
“After further review, the ruling is [followed by a brief description of the video evidence]. Therefore,
[followed by a brief description of the impact of the ruling].”
Scrimmage Kick Formation
Proposed Change – Rule 2-16-10
ARTICLE 10.
a. A scrimmage kick formation is a formation with no player other than the potential kicker (or
holder) aligned within the frame of the snapper and no player aligned in the clear path from the
snapper to the potential kicker (or holder), and with either (1) at least one potential kicker 10 or
more yards behind the neutral zone; or (2) a potential holder and potential kicker seven or more
yards behind the neutral zone in position for a place kick. For either (1) or (2) to qualify as a
scrimmage kick formation, it must be obvious that a kick will be attempted (A.R.9-1-14-I-III)
b. If Team A is in a scrimmage kick formation at the snap, any action by Team A during the down is
deemed to be from a scrimmage kick formation.
Proposed Change – Rule 6-3-14-a
Defensive Linemen on Scrimmage Kick Plays
ARTICLE 14.
a. If Team A is in a scrimmage kick formation at the snap and the snapper is not on the end of the
line of scrimmage, any Team B player within one yard of the line of scrimmage must be aligned
completely outside the frame of the body of the snapper at the snap (A.R.6-3-14-I and II).
Proposed Change – Rule 9-1-14
Contact Against the Snapper
ARTICLE 14.
When a team is in scrimmage kick formation and the snapper is not on the end of the line of
scrimmage, a defensive player may not initiate contact with the snapper until one second has
elapsed after the snap (A.R.9-1-14-I-III).
2
“T” Signal on Free Kicks
Proposed Change – Rule 2-8-3-b
Invalid Signal
ARTICLE 3.
An invalid signal is any waving signal by any player of Team B:
a. That does not meet the requirements of Article 2 (above); or
b. Including a “T” signal given during a free kick (A.R. 6-5-3 VII); or
c. That is given after a scrimmage kick is caught beyond the neutral zone, strikes the ground or
touches another player beyond the neutral zone (A.R.6-5-3-III-V); or
d. That is given after a free kick is caught, strikes the ground or touches another player.[Exception:
Rule 6-4-1-f ]
Defensive Movement / Disconcerting Signals
Proposed Change – Rule 7-1-5-a-4 & 5
4. Any player within one yard of the line of scrimmage (stationary or not) may not make quick and
abrupt or exaggerated actions that simulate action at the snap and are not part of normal defensive
player movement in an obvious attempt to make the offense foul (false start). (A.R.7-1-5-IV - ).
5. No player shall use words or signals that disconcert opponents when they are preparing to put
the ball in play. No player may call defensive signals that simulate the sound or cadence of, or
otherwise interfere with, offensive starting signals. The terms “move” and “stem” are reserved for
defensive cadence and may not be used by the offense. The offense may use a “clap” as a starting
signal and this signal may not be used by the defense.
PENALTY [4-5]—Dead-ball foul, delay of game. Five yards from the succeeding spot [S21].
Substitution Fouls after the Two-Minute Timeout
Proposed Change – Rule 3-5-3-b
b. Team B is allowed to briefly retain more than 11 players on the field to anticipate the offensive
formation, but it may not have more than 11 players on the field when the ball is snapped. The
infraction is treated as a live-ball foul (A.R.3-5-3-I-VII).
PENALTY—Live-ball foul. Five yards at the previous spot. [S22]
After the Two-Minute Timeout in either half, if the defense commits a substitution foul and 12
or more players are on the field and participate in a down, officials will penalize the defense
for the foul and at the option of the offended team, reset the game clock back to the time
displayed at the snap. The game clock will then restart on the next snap. If the 12th defender
was attempting to exit but was still on the field at the snap and had no influence on the play,
then the normal substitution penalty would be enforced with no clock adjustment (A.R. VIII –
X).
3
Technology – Coach-to-Player Communications
Proposed Change – Rule 1-4-11-b Exception
Exception:
Coach-to-player communications through the helmet is permissive for the Football Bowl
Subdivision (FBS) and the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) based on the following: - Only one (1) player may be on the field per team at a time with radio receiving capability and the
player must be identified by an unbranded green dot on the back midline of the helmet. - Coach-to-player communications will be shut off when the play clock reaches 15 seconds or at the
snap, whichever comes first, and will remain off throughout the down. When the play clock is reset
to 25/40, the communications will be restored. If more than one green dot helmet per team is
detected on the field by the game officials, the result is a live ball 5-yard equipment violation
penalty, and this penalty initiates a conference review. - On free kick plays, the coach-to-player communications will not be in effect. There is no limitation
to the number of green dot helmets for either team during free kick plays. - A conference may develop a policy to provide guidance in handling situations dealing with
communications failure (See Appendix I).
Technology – Tablets
Proposed Change – Rule 1-4-11-a Exception 3
3. Standard tablets for in-game video only is permissive for all football playing subdivisions and are
subject to the following guidelines:
• Tablets shall be restricted to “in game video” (current game) and may not include analytics, data
or data access capability or any other communications access. No other video is allowed (e.g.,
scouting video, practice video, etc.).
• Tablets may be used in the coaches’ booth, sideline, and locker room. Tablets may not be
interconnected to other devices to project larger/additional images except during halftime
intermission in the locker room.
• Video may include a coach’s sideline, a coach’s endzone, and a program feed per play from the
current game only and may also display game circumstances including down, distance, time,
quarter, play-number, and score.
• A team may have up to 18 standard tablets active, and all team personnel may view the tablets.
• Team personnel engaging an official with a tablet to show or review video is guilty of an automatic
Unsportsmanlike Conduct foul.
• A conference may develop a policy to provide guidance in handling situations dealing with tablet
failure (See Appendix I).
Optional Equipment – Eye Shields
Proposed Change – Rule 1-4-6-c
c. Eye shields. Eye shields must be clear, not tinted, and made from molded or rigid material.
Eyeglasses and goggles also must be clear and not tinted. No medical exceptions are allowed. A
manufacturer may submit a “nearly clear” eye shield without mirroring or reflective effects for
review to the NCAA Football Rules Committee by June 1 for the upcoming year. Neither the NCAA
nor the committee certifies the safety of the eye shield.