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The NCAA News -- March 1, 1999

Football rules group makes minor changes

Changes in the penalties for holding behind the neutral zone and intentional grounding were among just a handful of adjustments approved by the NCAA Football Rules Committee for the 1999 season.

The committee, chaired by University of Georgia athletics director Vincent Dooley, met February 15-17 in San Diego.

"This was the fewest number of rules changes approved during my seven-year tenure on the Football Rules Committee," Dooley said. "I believe that is a strong indication that coaches and officials are very satisfied with the rules.

"The changes that were made were minor ones. We also identified a few issues that we will continue to study."

Holding behind the neutral zone will be penalized 10 yards from the previous spot of the ball. The current rule, which went into effect in 1991, penalized the offending team 10 yards from the spot of the foul.

Intentional grounding will result in a penalty of loss of down at the spot of the foul, rather than the existing rule of loss of down and a five-yard assessment from the spot of the foul. That rule has been unchanged since 1949.

"The committee considered the difficulty for an offense to keep a drive alive if it commits one of those penalties," Dooley said. "These changes may make them not as damaging."

Among the other changes are:

  • Visible bandannas will be considered a uniform attachment, which is illegal;

  • Teams may not break a huddle with 12 or more players; and

  • Dead-ball fouls by both teams that are considered to be part of a continuing action or of a retaliatory nature and that are reported at the same time will be cancelled and the penalties disregarded, except that any disqualified player must leave the game.

    The committee also identified players properly wearing all mandatory equipment, particularly knee pads and mouthpieces, and the continuation of the teaching and implementation of proper blocking techniques in game situations as points of emphasis for 1999.

    In addition, the implementation date for the previously approved rule stating that all gloves worn by players must be gray was changed by one year to August 1, 2000. When the rule was passed in 1998, the effective date was set as August 1, 1999.