The Division III Football Committee has recommended to the Division III Interpretations and Legislation Committee that position-specific agility drills be added to the allowable activities during the five consecutive weeks of the nontraditional segment.

The committee, which met February 11-14 in Indianapolis, stressed that there should be no practice activities between position groups (for example, quarterbacks and running backs) and added its support of the stipulation that simulation of offensive and defensive alignments would be prohibited.

Members also discussed the impact of the preseason conditioning models that are being considered by Divisions I and II governance groups and were adamant in their belief that Division III also must immediately address the issue. Consequently, the committee will recommend to the Division III Management Council's playing and practice seasons subcommittee that noncontroversial legislation be adopted so a preseason conditioning model can be implemented for the 2003 campaign.

The committee considered two models to be feasible for Division III institutions. One retains the 27 practice opportunities currently allowed under NCAA legislation. An institution's preseason starting date would be determined by using the dates of its first game and first day of classes.

This model would guarantee five preseason acclimatization days as outlined in the Divisions I and II models, followed by a segment that would include no consecutive days with multiple practices, and would conclude with days of single practices leading up to the first game. Most institutions would have an additional one to four days for their preseason segment.

The second model uses the same formula to determine the preseason starting date and follows the same format as the first, but reduces the number of practice opportunities to 25. This would cap the number of additional preseason segment days at two for the vast majority of schools.

In other actions, the committee noted that it will be accepting bids from locales interested in hosting the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, the Division III championship game, in 2004 and beyond. The 2003 title game will be played in Salem, Virginia, site of the Stagg Bowl since 1993.

Also, the following 20 conferences have met automatic-qualifying status for the 2003 championship: the American Southwest; Centennial; Dixie Intercollegiate Athletic; Freedom Football; Heartland Collegiate Athletic; Illini-Badger Intercollegiate Football; Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic; Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic; Midwest; Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic; New England Football; New Jersey Athletic; North Coast Athletic; Ohio Athletic; Old Dominion Athletic; Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic; Southern Collegiate Athletic; and the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conferences; the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin; and the Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Corporation.

Five of the remaining eight playoff berths will go to Pool B, which is composed of independents and institutions from non-automatic-qualifying conferences. The other three spots are for Pool C, which is made up of schools from automatic-qualifying conferences that do not receive their conferences' automatic bid and the remaining teams from Pool B.

Other highlights

Division III Football Committee
February 11-14 /Indianapolis

In addition to the actions described in the accompanying article, the Division III Football Committee made the following recommendations to the Division III Championships Committee:

That Jim Morretti, director of athletics at Alfred University, serve as chair of the committee, effective September 1, 2003.

That the Middle Atlantic Conference be realigned from the South evaluation region to the East evaluation region, effective with the 2003 championship.

That a representative from each conference and officials' assigning agency be required to attend the annual Divisions II and III officiating clinic conducted by the NCAA Football Rules Committee in July to be considered for assignments in the playoffs.

That the NCAA reimburse institutions the cost of their local bus transportation when they fly into an airport located within 25 miles of the competition site for a playoff game.

That the alternate official at playoff games receive per diem and lodging expenses.