2018 Kickoff Rule Changes

[HappyViking]

It's going to get harder and harder to come up with new blocking schemes for both the kicking and return teams.  It might reduce injuries on kick-offs like they hope, but it could increase the amount of flags thrown.  The new rules sound complicated to me.

[Guest]

ok... so what if it hits in the green and then into the endzone... is it still an automatic TB like in HS ball?  this is pretty shitty of the league to make these changes as teams are heading into camp.  the ST coordinators have almost no time to adjust what they have been preparing all offseason.   This is going to lead to some shitty ST play IMO.

[Guest]

Quit changing the damn rules!

[Guest]

@Vikergirl said:
Quit changing the damn rules!

they change the rules so quickly and often how to they know if their previous changes would have been effective or not?

although,   some of us called it pretty quickly last year that the 25 yard line thing wasnt going to help the players,  high and short KOs would be the plan and they were.

[Guest]

These rules were proposed a couple months ago, so I don't think it should come as too big of a surprise to the teams.  I also don't think it will really change the game too dramatically, it will just look like a punt, which is fine with me.

[Guest]

@Vikergirl said:
Quit changing the damn rules!

This.


My biggest pet peeve was the 2 point conversion. That's the WORST.

In days of old, you could line up for an XP, then some trickery netted you 2 points.

or you could just line up Going for two, and have your best short yardage play against an opponents defense.

now....you line up for two...there's no trickery.....they're going for two.
or....they line up for the XP....they're going for one.

No strategy, no guessing, no trickery, no surprises....no fun.

QUIT F'KING UP THE GAME

[Guest]

@medaille said:
These rules were proposed a couple months ago, so I don't think it should come as too big of a surprise to the teams.  I also don't think it will really change the game too dramatically, it will just look like a punt, which is fine with me.

I am thinking what we heard about this spring was already passed.  I am pretty sure these are changes to the rules already that were adopted at the May meetings.

[Guest]

I'm in agreement with most here. The rules get changed to often before they have chance to really see what the effects will be. I don't get this one though. Isn't this going to make onside kicks impossible? What is the reason behind this new lineup rule? Is it going to make it harder for teams to cover kicks? When they proposed the 25 yard line on touch-backs is was because they wanted to discourage returns. As Jimmy noted teams just kicked high and short more times. That forced returns. I guess I don't understand how returns work well enough to understand the need for this change. It seems to me that it's encouraging the thing they want to discourage...IDK.

[Guest]

@suncoastvike said:
I'm in agreement with most here. The rules get changed to often before they have chance to really see what the effects will be. I don't get this one though. Isn't this going to make onside kicks impossible? What is the reason behind this new lineup rule? Is it going to make it harder for teams to cover kicks? When they proposed the 25 yard line on touch-backs is was because they wanted to discourage returns. As Jimmy noted teams just kicked high and short more times. That forced returns. I guess I don't understand how returns work well enough to understand the need for this change. It seems to me that it's encouraging the thing they want to discourage...IDK.

Their thought is to keep the gunners and blockers in closer proximity to each other at the kick that it will be less violent collisions since the players won't be running full out when they hit...more like punt coverage.  Although I've seen more punt returners get killed than KR.

[Guest]

@JimmyinSD said:

@suncoastvike said:
I'm in agreement with most here. The rules get changed to often before they have chance to really see what the effects will be. I don't get this one though. Isn't this going to make onside kicks impossible? What is the reason behind this new lineup rule? Is it going to make it harder for teams to cover kicks? When they proposed the 25 yard line on touch-backs is was because they wanted to discourage returns. As Jimmy noted teams just kicked high and short more times. That forced returns. I guess I don't understand how returns work well enough to understand the need for this change. It seems to me that it's encouraging the thing they want to discourage...IDK.

Their thought is to keep the gunners and blockers in closer proximity to each other at the kick that it will be less violent collisions since the players won't be running full out when they hit...more like punt coverage.  Although I've seen more punt returners get killed than KR.

Ok thanks. I'm still fuzzy though because won't this make the returner more likely to see better openings? Thus encouraging more returns. Does it favor the returner?