The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel has tabled a proposed video replay system in football until May, hoping to garner increased feedback and consensus on the procedure at the Division I-A level.

The panel during its March 13 conference call tabled the measure proposed by the Football Rules Committee after receiving feedback on the coach’s challenge system provided in the proposal. One conference experimented with the system during the 2005 season, but PROP members felt it had not been adequately discussed within the membership.

“The panel is not denying this proposal at this point, but we recognize that more discussion is needed at the Division I-A level,” said John Cochrane, PROP chair and commissioner of the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. “The panel is comfortable with most of the process. Temporarily delaying action on this item will allow for more discussion on a challenge system without delaying rules changes for the 2006 season.”

The Football Rules Committee recommended allowing each team one challenge during the course of the game. Under that proposal, the head coach may request a review by signaling for a timeout. If the call on the field is overturned, the coach retains the right to challenge later in the game and is not charged a timeout. If the call is not reversed, the team is charged a timeout and the coach does not have the ability to challenge again.

PROP’s delay will allow the Football Rules Committee to gather more input from the American Football Coaches Association and the Division I-A Collegiate Commissioners Association, which meets in late April. The Football Rules Committee will have the ability to alter its proposal, if it chooses, and resubmit it to PROP on a May 18 conference call. If PROP accepts the proposal on May 18, the rule would be in effect for the 2006 season.

PROP also asked the Football Rules Committee to collect information regarding its proposal to shorten the halftime period to 15 minutes. Initial feedback indicated that many conferences would prefer keeping halftime at 20 minutes. All other football proposals were accepted.

The panel also reviewed proposals from three other NCAA sports — volleyball, soccer and water polo. All soccer and water polo proposals were approved as submitted. In volleyball, however, PROP denied a Volleyball Rules Committee proposal to allow artificial noisemakers at games. PROP members cited consistency with other sports and an NCAA championship policy that bans artificial noisemakers during competition as reasons for not supporting the proposal.

PROP members also denied a proposal to allow only one coach at a time from each institution to question an official during competition. Members cited the negative impact on the integrity of the game and the need for consistency with other sports.

The panel also reviewed two volleyball facility specification proposals. PROP approved a minimum 25-foot height for newly constructed facilities starting in 2006. However, PROP tabled a proposal dealing with net stands and requested that the rules committee provide additional data to support its rationale.

PROP consists of 12 members representing each NCAA division who have experience with playing-rules administration as a coach, game official or former rules committee member.