Ivy League Football Saw Large Reduction in Concussions After New Kickoff Rules

[PlayerRep]

"After the Ivy League changed its kickoff rules in 2016, adjusting the kickoff and touchback lines by just five yards, the rate of concussions per 1,000 kickoff plays fell to two from 11....

In 2015, kickoffs during Ivy League games accounted for 6 percent of all plays, but 21 percent of concussions, the study said. So Ivy League football coaches decided to change the rules to encourage kicks into the end zone.

Under the new system, teams kicked off from the 40-yard line, instead of the 35, and touchbacks started from the 20-yard line, rather than the 25.

The result? A spike in the number of touchbacks — and “a dramatic reduction in the rate of concussions,”

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/02/sports/ncaafootball/ivy-league-football-concussions.html?action=click&module=In%20Other%20News&pgtype=Homepage&action=click&module=Latest&pgtype=Homepage

 

[AZGrizFan]

The kickoff will be eliminated within the next 5 years. There’ sreally No point in it.

 

[VictorG]

The kickoff will be eliminated within the next 5 years. There’ sreally No point in it.

If that happens will people then quit bitching about fans not being back in their seats for the 2nd half kickoff?

 

[AZGrizFan]

The kickoff will be eliminated within the next 5 years. There’ sreally No point in it.

If that happens will people then quit bitching about fans not being back in their seats for the 2nd half kickoff?

:lol:

 

[CDAGRIZ]

The kickoff will be eliminated within the next 5 years. There’ sreally No point in it.

I don't disagree, but its elimination would also eliminate the surprise onside kick. If the kickoff was eliminated altogether, just starting at the 25, every time a team wanted to kick an onside kick, it would be telegraphed. That said, I thought the same about moving the NFL XP to the 25 (now, any time a team wants to go for two, it's telegraphed), and that seems to have worked fine.

 

[IdaGriz01]

The kickoff will be eliminated within the next 5 years. There’s really No point in it.

I don't disagree, but its elimination would also eliminate the surprise onside kick. If the kickoff was eliminated altogether, just starting at the 25, every time a team wanted to kick an onside kick, it would be telegraphed. That said, I thought the same about moving the NFL XP to the 25 (now, any time a team wants to go for two, it's telegraphed), and that seems to have worked fine.

First, being a numbers guy, I want to see what the numbers say. So I went to the stats, starting with the general statement that, currently, about 40% of kickoffs result in touchbacks. But what about when the KO is returned? According to NCAA stats for this season, just under 3,000 kickoff returns have been attempted (FBS and FCS together). Of those, 44 were returned for touchdowns. So, counting touchbacks, less than one in a hundred kickoffs are returned for touchdowns. Great drama when it happens, but pretty damn unlikely.

The average return is about 21.3 yards per attempt (remarkably similar for both FBS and FCS). Unfortunately, the NCAA does not keep stats on where kickoffs are received. But I think it’s probably safe to say most return attempts probably start inside the 10 yard line. Of course, ones that start in the end zone are not that unusual. For the sake of argument, let’s call it the 5 yard line, on average. Add the runback and you get the 26.3 yard line, barring the all-to-common penalty on the return team. Not much net gain for all the danger of injury (and the wait if a penalty is marched off).

Bottom line: I’m guessing the KO will not last even five years.

The surprise onside kick as we now know it would go away. But how often do teams actually try that? There have been several hundred college games so far this season, and I believe we’ve heard about (maybe) one surprise onside kick. The success rate is supposed to be pretty good for surprise attempts, of course. I’ve heard numbers as high as 60% compared to 20% for “known” onsiders. But if it’s hardly ever tried, not much would be lost by just eliminating it.

As for the “conventional” onside kick (where everybody, essentially, knows it’s coming) ... there have been several creative ideas proposed as a substitute. (More on that if anyone is interested.)

 

[PlayerRep]

The kickoff will be eliminated within the next 5 years. There’s really No point in it.

I don't disagree, but its elimination would also eliminate the surprise onside kick. If the kickoff was eliminated altogether, just starting at the 25, every time a team wanted to kick an onside kick, it would be telegraphed. That said, I thought the same about moving the NFL XP to the 25 (now, any time a team wants to go for two, it's telegraphed), and that seems to have worked fine.

First, being a numbers guy, I want to see what the numbers say. So I went to the stats, starting with the general statement that, currently, about 40% of kickoffs result in touchbacks. But what about when the KO is returned? According to NCAA stats for this season, just under 3,000 kickoff returns have been attempted (FBS and FCS together). Of those, 44 were returned for touchdowns. So, counting touchbacks, less than one in a hundred kickoffs are returned for touchdowns. Great drama when it happens, but pretty damn unlikely.

The average return is about 21.3 yards per attempt (remarkably similar for both FBS and FCS). Unfortunately, the NCAA does not keep stats on where kickoffs are received. But I think it’s probably safe to say most return attempts probably start inside the 10 yard line. Of course, ones that start in the end zone are not that unusual. For the sake of argument, let’s call it the 5 yard line, on average. Add the runback and you get the 26.3 yard line, barring the all-to-common penalty on the return team. Not much net gain for all the danger of injury (and the wait if a penalty is marched off).

Bottom line: I’m guessing the KO will not last even five years.

The surprise onside kick as we now know it would go away. But how often do teams actually try that? There have been several hundred college games so far this season, and I believe we’ve heard about (maybe) one surprise onside kick. The success rate is supposed to be pretty good for surprise attempts, of course. I’ve heard numbers as high as 60% compared to 20% for “known” onsiders. But if it’s hardly ever tried, not much would be lost by just eliminating it.

As for the “conventional” onside kick (where everybody, essentially, knows it’s coming) ... there have been several creative ideas proposed as a substitute. (More on that if anyone is interested.)

Thanks. Let's see more.

 

[IdaGriz01]

... The surprise onside kick as we now know it would go away. But how often do teams actually try that? There have been several hundred college games so far this season, and I believe we’ve heard about (maybe) one surprise onside kick. The success rate is supposed to be pretty good for surprise attempts, of course. I’ve heard numbers as high as 60% compared to 20% for “known” onsiders. But if it’s hardly ever tried, not much would be lost by just eliminating it.

As for the “conventional” onside kick (where everybody, essentially, knows it’s coming) ... there have been several creative ideas proposed as a substitute. (More on that if anyone is interested.)

Thanks. Let's see more.

Substitutes for the "standard" onside kick start with two premises: First, the game situation is such that it's no big mystery that you're going to try one. Second, the play is risky, and fails most of the time. A "corollary" to point two is that a failed attempt generally gives the opponent good field position. (Several variations have been floated.)

The answer starts when the team that has just scored declares that it plans to try to retain possession of the ball. They are then given the ball somewhere in their own territory ... perhaps their own 35 yard line. At this point, they are put in fourth down and long, so they have one play to retain possession. If that one play works and they get a first down, it's just like they recovered the onside kick. If they don't get the first down, the opponents gets the ball in great field position, just as if the onside kick failed. (They are also allowed to use their one play to punt away, if they get cold feet.)

The variations involve where the ball is placed (proposals have been anywhere from the 35 yard line to the 45), and how long is "long" (at least 15 yards, and I believe as much as 25 has been suggested).