Wisconsin finds loophole in new kicking rule..

[kaorder1999]

dont know if this has already been posted but this is interesting. The new rule has the clock starting as the ball is kicked and not when the ball is fielded by the return team. AND...with an offsides call against the kicking team, the ball MUST be rekicked. CRAZY!

WISCONSIN vs PENN STATE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gp5WM94UOBg)

[kaorder1999]

No doubt anymore about whether it was a planned play (offside on KO).

From Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Badgers' ploy exploits new rule vs. PSU
By Rob Biertempfel
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, November 7, 2006

Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema found a loophole in the NCAA rule book and worked it to his advantage in Saturday's 13-3 victory against Penn State.

However, Bielema might not get a chance to do it again. His call caused a stir in the college football community and could lead to a rule change next season.

After scoring with 24 seconds left in the second quarter, nearly everyone on Wisconsin's kick team was blatantly offside on back-to-back kickoffs.

Under an NCAA rule put in place this year, the clock begins running the moment the ball is kicked. So when Wisconsin lined up for its third kickoff, only four seconds remained in the half.


The third kickoff was a squib -- with none of the Badgers offside -- which was returned to the 39-yard line as time expired.

"Obviously, that's taking advantage of the rules and shouldn't be allowed," John Adams, the NCAA's rules interpreter, said Monday. "We certainly wouldn't condone that."

Yesterday, during his weekly press conference, Bielema offered no apologies.

"It worked out exactly as we envisioned it," Bielema said. "It was something that we had practiced."

Bielema was able to burn the clock because of a rule the NCAA playing rules oversight panel approved during the offseason. The rationale for the rule change was that it would help trim the length of games by about five minutes.

"I don't necessarily agree with the rule the way that it's written," Bielema said. "But I knew the rule, and I wanted to maximize it. I have to put my team in a position to have success."

After the second kickoff attempt, Penn State coach Joe Paterno ran onto the field and asked why the referees had not called an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Wisconsin.

"He was upset that (the Badgers) were doing it deliberately," Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Tom Bradley said.

No penalty was called, but the referees told both teams the clock would not start if the third kick was offside.

Adams said something should have been done after the first blatant offside play.

"I think after the first time it happens, you know what's going on and that it's an unfair act," Adams said.

Adams said the refs should have taken action under a rule that states: "If an obviously unfair act not specifically covered by the rules occurs during the game, the referee may take any action he considers equitable, including assessing a penalty."

Big Ten spokesman Scott Chipman said the kickoff sequence would be reviewed by Dave Parry, the league's head of officials. Parry was unavailable for comment.

"The officials could have called an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty ... but that's a judgment call, and we do not comment on judgment calls," Chipman said.

Since the start of the season, many Division I coaches have been openly critical of the rule. More than 17,500 fans have signed an online petition asking the NCAA to return to the old guidelines.

The NCAA football rules committee likely will reconsider the rule at its next meeting, in February.

"My guess is, because of the exposure we got, there may be an adaption for next year's rule book," Bielema said, with a grin. "But until then, that's the rule as it stands."

[whtfbplaya]

Originally posted by kaorder1999
dont know if this has already been posted but this is interesting. The new rule has the clock starting as the ball is kicked and not when the ball is fielded by the return team. AND...with an offsides call against the kicking team, the ball MUST be rekicked. CRAZY!

WISCONSIN vs PENN STATE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gp5WM94UOBg)

The ball does not have to be rekicked if the kicking team is offsides.

[kaorder1999]

Originally posted by whtfbplaya
The ball does not have to be rekicked if the kicking team is offsides.
yesterday on ESPN they said that it had to rekicked. Just going by what they said when they were covering this story.

[whtfbplaya]

Originally posted by kaorder1999
yesterday on ESPN they said that it had to rekicked. Just going by what they said when they were covering this story.

Well their wrong.

[kaorder1999]

why wouldn't Joe Paterno decline the penalty after the second blatant offsides?

[mwynn05]

Originally posted by whtfbplaya
Well their wrong. apparently you're wrong joe pa would have declined it if he could have

[Emerson1]

Because he got the ball on the 10, and on the 2nd time it was offsetting so it had to be rekicked.


Refs should be told to throw a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct if teams start to blatantly do this.

[CenTexSports]

He could have taken the ball at the end of the return plus 5 yards for the offsides but he would have been deep in his own territory.

[mwynn05]

Originally posted by CenTexSports
He could have taken the ball at the end of the return plus 5 yards for the offsides but he would have been deep in his own territory. better than what he got out of it though

[whtfbplaya]

Originally posted by mwynn05
apparently you're wrong joe pa would have declined it if he could have

Apparently you forget that Joe Pa is 79 years old. He did not have to decline it to get the ball. He could add five yards to the end of the run, which would have put them back deep. Know the facts before you pop off.

[mwynn05]

Originally posted by whtfbplaya
Apparently you forget that Joe Pa is 79 years old. He did not have to decline it to get the ball. He could add five yards to the end of the run, which would have put them back deep. Know the facts before you pop off. what does his age have to do with ANYTHING

[kaorder1999]

then what "loophole" did they find?

[whtfbplaya]

Originally posted by kaorder1999
then what "loophole" did they find?

Nothing other than that the clock runs and they can be WAY offsides to get a stop way back there. Only pen is 5 yards on end of the run or 5 and rekick.

[kaorder1999]

Originally posted by whtfbplaya
Nothing other than that the clock runs and they can be WAY offsides to get a stop way back there. Only pen is 5 yards on end of the run or 5 and rekick.

gotcha

[Scholar]

So I guess a college team can get a couple of touchdowns ahead of a team and just be offsides on the kickoff for about 50-60 times and run out the clock? I guess it'd back the kicking team up half the distance to the goal line and they'd have to kick from there, but still.... The rule needs to be changed.

[whtfbplaya]

Originally posted by Scholar
So I guess a college team can get a couple of touchdowns ahead of a team and just be offsides on the kickoff for about 50-60 times and run out the clock? I guess it'd back the kicking team up half the distance to the goal line and they'd have to kick from there, but still.... The rule needs to be changed.

Read first, ask stupid questions later.:hand: