Big 12 coaches concerned with clock rules

The new NCAA rules designed to shorten football games are actually diminishing the time-honored experience for fans and players alike, argue several Big 12 coaches irked by the changes.

Through two weeks, the NCAA rules that were implemented this season to keep the clock running more has resulted in an average of 12.6 fewer combined plays, said Ty Halpin, NCAA associate director of playing rules administration.

Some schools, however, have experienced drastic declines in their number of offensive plays, such as Colorado, which ran just 48 plays last week and whose game against Colorado State lasted just 2 hours, 48 minutes, more than 45 minutes shorter than the Buffs' average game time a year ago.

Under the new rules, clocks start on kickoffs rather than when the receiving team touches the ball. After a change in possession, the clock restarts when the ball is marked for play and not the ensuing snap. Also, kicking tees were shortened by an inch to limit the number of clock-stopping touchbacks.

"I hate it," Texas coach Mack Brown said. "I just think one of the greatest things about college football was the ability for teams to come back. And now the great plays right before the half, at the end of the game, are more limited than they used to be."

Brown noted that last weekend's matchup with Ohio State was 22 minutes shorter than the Longhorns' big game against the Buckeyes last year. "A little under 10 percent of the game is gone," Brown said. "And I don't think that's fair to the fans."

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said it's silly to think college football fans want less of a good thing, though.

"I'm not excited about it. I don't know that our fans are," he said. "We have 85,000 people at our games. Many people travel great distances, some travel five to six hours. I don't know that they come to see a quick game."