What is wrong with these people?

00Dawg · Feb 24, 2012

http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2012-02-24/ncaa-approves-rules-changes-on-kickoffs-touchbacks-and-other-special-teams-plays

How long will it take until some team has to make a decision about using a timeout because their star player lost his helmet on the previous play, and now it's a key down and he's needed on the field?

00Dawg · Feb 24, 2012

http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2012-02-24/ncaa-approves-rules-changes-on-kickoffs-touchbacks-and-other-special-teams-plays

How long will it take until some team has to make a decision about using a timeout because their star player lost his helmet on the previous play, and now it's a key down and he's needed on the field?

DawgatAuburn · Feb 24, 2012

For whatever reason, helmets coming off mid play seem to have increased a lot in the last few years. If it is as I suspect, and due to the player not properly "strapping 'em on" then it should be easily enough remedied by the players, coaches and equipment managers and taken out of the hands of the referees.

00Dawg · Feb 24, 2012

more helmets are popping off because the new generation of helmets is designed to do that when taking a hard hit. Rather than transfer the energy to the player's head, they release. Seriously.
So, this new rule will encourage players not to use the new concussion-reducing helmets, and to use the old style ones.

War Machine Dawg · Feb 24, 2012

While I sort of agree with you, I'm not sure I like this change. I also think most of the helmet problem probably is guys not strapping them on tight or wearing them a size too big. However, the SEC is a PHYSICAL league. We've all seen helmets of linemen (offense and defense) get ripped off without a flag thrown. Same thing for a blitzing LB. The way I read the rule, the only way you can stay on the field after your helmet comes off is if there was a flag thrown. So imagine: There's 1:15 left in the 4th quarter, we're down 4, and driving for a potential game winning score. We get a 3rd-and-2, run it, only gain 1. Gabe Jackson loses his helmet, but there's no flag. Now it's 4th-and-inches, but Gabe has to sit out for the crucial play. I can see how this will have a huge inadvertent affect on games.

DawgatAuburn · Feb 24, 2012

I was chalking it up to Brett Favre playing the last half of his career with his helmet barely on and others copycatting that.

Also made famous by this game.

drt7891 · Feb 24, 2012

I know in high school, officials are constantly telling players to strap their helmets down tight so they don't come off, and you can look and see chin straps dangling inches below their chin. I've even seen officials send players to the bench for not having their helmets on tight.

Negative Waves · Feb 24, 2012

nm

00Dawg · Feb 24, 2012

I'm guessing the movement actually "pops" the strap loose. I'll see if I can find an article that explains it.

drt7891 · Feb 24, 2012

I've never seen or heard of a helmet design that flexes to the point of popping the strap loose, then it springing off your head due to a hit. That just doesn't seem safe or practical. I know they flex, obviously, but I really think this rule is incentive for players to have their chinstraps on tight (since that is an issue at every level) than anything else.

00Dawg · Feb 24, 2012

if this was only a design by a single manufacturer that I saw somewhere, but I believe it was related to the generation of more streamlined helmets that became popular in the previous decade. The short answer was all about energy transfer.
So far the only articles I can come up with have no good explanation. Usually the helmet manufacturer says the players aren't wearing it right, and a coach or referee says that the issue isn't not using the chinstrap properly.

Perhaps more telling,a lot of the new stuff rolling off the drawing board right now include internal tightening methods besides the chinstrap.

RebelBruiser · Feb 24, 2012

If touchbacks come out to the 25, obviously you stand more to gain if you let the ball go and take a shot at it going into the endzone than before.

I've seen lots of teams go from saying don't field inside the 10 to don't field inside the 8. I'm guessing that the 10 will now be the line again. If you don't field it, the most you lose is 9 yards of field position, but you stand to gain up to 15 yards of field position or more. Some sabre-metrics type work would need to be done, but I would bet the 25 yard line rule would change the punt fielding strategy just a bit.

dogmatic1 · Feb 24, 2012

00Dawg said:
more helmets are popping off because the new generation of helmets is designed to do that when taking a hard hit. Rather than transfer the energy to the player's head, they release. Seriously.

That reminds me of the logic I used to hear 30 years ago against wearing seat belts -- the logic that claimed people were safer to be "thrown clear" of the wreck than to be strapped in. No way the helmets are designed to come off in a collision.

00Dawg · Feb 24, 2012

into a fun little jaunt through modern society; no one dares to admit fault.
The manufacturers say it's not their fault because the equipment isn't used properly.
The coaches say it's not their fault because they teach the players to use it properly.
The referees say it's not their fault because they make sure its used properly on the field.

Since the manufacturers are making efforts to tighten the helmet through new means, I'll stick with it being a design issue for the moment.

drt7891 · Feb 24, 2012

is because most head injuries and concussions come from secondary hits either with another player of the ground (see Tim Tebow against Kentucky), not primary ones initiated from first contact. If a helmet sprung off from a hard hit, it leaves the head completely exposed and vulnerable to those secondary hits. Coaches spend a lot of time with players learning the right way to hit and tackle... and there are countless rules about how you can and can't use your helmets when tackling.

DawgatAuburn · Feb 24, 2012

RebelBruiser said:
If touchbacks come out to the 25, obviously you stand more to gain if you let the ball go and take a shot at it going into the endzone than before.

I've seen lots of teams go from saying don't field inside the 10 to don't field inside the 8. I'm guessing that the 10 will now be the line again. If you don't field it, the most you lose is 9 yards of field position, but you stand to gain up to 15 yards of field position or more. Some sabre-metrics type work would need to be done, but I would bet the 25 yard line rule would change the punt fielding strategy just a bit.

Another significant rule change effects touchbacks. Touchbacks on free
kicks will be moved to the 25-yard line instead of the 20. Touchbacks on
other plays, such as punts in the end zone or fumbles that go out of
the end zone, will remain at the 20-yard line.

00Dawg · Feb 24, 2012

I'm to the point of including some photographic searching in this. So far I haven't seen any recent pics that didn't include a new generation helmet, but there may not be that many old style ones still in use, particularly by skill players.
Also, in all but one picture, which was a literal helmet rip off, at least one chin strap is loose, andoften both.

Buford T. Justice · Feb 24, 2012

touchbacks still come to the 20 on punts, fumbles into endzone, interceptions into endzone. The 25-yard line is used only for touchbacks from kickoffs.

tenureplan · Feb 24, 2012

It's funny that he doesn't read an article in its entirety.

DawgatAuburn · Feb 24, 2012

[No message]

00Dawg · Feb 24, 2012

the idea that it wasa widespreadintentional design, as I can find no definitive proof. Found at least one guy "in the business" who claimed the chin straps were designed to release easily, but that's about it.
I know I read about it in an article, but that was some time ago, and may have been a one-off or short-lived approach.
The evidence does seem to indicate it's either a recently-introduced design flaw or a nationwide change in player approach to their equipment.

tenureplan · Feb 24, 2012

As an MSU fan I really like it.

Kickoff returns offer one of the most exciting plays in sports, not to mention one of the quickest ways to shift momentum.

The NFL went from 23 kickoff touchdowns to just 9 last year after the rule change. The touchback percentage skyrocketed as well. It was so boring watching kickoffs this year, I wondered why not remove the play alltogether and just spot the ball at the 20 after a score.

But as an MSU fan, we can benefit from this twofold. In the SEC, we are generally going to be out-athleted on special teams...any rule that negates the importance of special teams really helps us. Not to mention that if we still don't have a kicker capable of putting it in the endzone from the 35, even if he drops it in on the 3 or 4, we still have a good chance to stop the other team short of the 25.

Cousin Jeffrey · Feb 24, 2012

I've always just assumed the recent increase in helmets popping off was an intentional effort on the part of the player to get his face on tv. Think about it... With a helmet on, no one can see your face. No personal recognition. If a helmet comes off, where does the camera go? Straight to the player with no helmet. So I just figured it was an attempt at individual face time.

War Machine Dawg · Feb 24, 2012

Touchbacks on kickoffs will remain at the 20 as well. The distinction is made for a "free kick," i.e. the option to kick or punt after a safety. That's the way I'm interpreting it, at least. Feel free to explain if I'm wrong.

DawgatAuburn · Feb 24, 2012

Which might explain Bruiser's confusion. When's the last time the Bears defense was good enough to get a safety?

tenureplan · Feb 24, 2012

Even though it is specifically called a free kick on safeties. I think the whole point of "free" is that the ball is live.

ETA: Just looked at the rulebook...free kicks are all kicks other than scrimage kicks (punts/field goals).

Free KickARTICLE 5. a. A free kick is a kick by a player of the team in possession madeunder restrictions specified in Rules 4-1-4, 6-1-1 and 6-1-2.

b. A free kick after a safety may be a punt, drop kick or place kick.

What is wrong with these people?

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