Everybody ready for some football? Hard to believe how quickly the season rolls around, but here we are. I have been asked to discuss the new NCAA football rules changes in place for the 2025 season. But first a quick lesson on when, who, and why rule changes take place.
WHEN
The NCAA has a two-year rule-changing cycle. This year (2025) is a year for any major changes to occur. In the off year, the only changes made center around player safety. From time to time, in the middle of the season, a rule may be adjusted or changed if an unfair advantage is being gained through its use.
WHO
The College Football Rules Committee is made up of eleven college football coaches from a variety of levels and conferences. Included on the committee is the Secretary-Rules Editor (Steve Shaw) who is also the national coordinator of football officials. As you see, the coaches make up the bulk of the committee.
WHY
Ensuring player safety: Football is a tough sport to play, and the rules committee is always looking at ways to make it safer without altering it too much.
Maintaining a balance between offense and defense as the game evolves.
Maintaining the integrity of this great sport from unsportsmanlike acts to other actions that are detrimental to this great game.
2025 CHANGES
Pre-snap actions for offense and defense/disconcerting signals: A lot of action occurs just before the snap. At times the offense tries to get the defense to jump offside, or the defense attempts to make the offense false start. The rules committee tried to clarify who can do what, on each side of the ball.
For the offense, “the clap” is one method they use to signal for the snap. “The clap” is now specifically reserved for the offense. If they use “the clap,” they own it, and the defense cannot use it prior to the snap. For the defense, the use of the words “move” or “stem” are reserved for them. A stem is a lateral movement by the defense just prior to the snap. The defense is allowed to do this, but they cannot add any other quick or jerky movement that simulates action at the snap. If this happens, the play can be shut down and a penalty for dead ball delay of game called. Like “the clap” for the offense, “stem” and “move” are reserved for the defense, and it is a foul for the offense to use them. The defense can use other words but cannot use any words or actions that are disconcerting to the offense.
Feigning an injury: As you can imagine, an official cannot and will not make the determination involving whether a player is injured. Yet there were times in some games where it was thought that players went down to slow down a fast-paced team or to gain some other type of advantage. This year a rule has been added that if a player goes down after the ball has been spotted by the officials, the team with the injured player must either take a time-out or, if they have exhausted their timeouts, a five-yard delay of game penalty will be assessed.
Defenseless player: The definition of a defenseless player was expanded. It now includes an offensive player in a passing posture with a focus downfield, even if a pass is not thrown. Also, a player attempting to recover a loose ball is now considered defenseless. Both relate to the foul of targeting.
Replay verbiage: The words “stands” and “confirms” have been removed from the referee’s announcement when a play is not overturned. Instead, the new verbiage will be “the ruling on the field has been upheld.”
For the football experts, there are some additional rules and editorial changes to the 2025 playing rules you could review. A couple of these changes were made in-season last year around “end of game issues.” I have tried to focus on the major changes that I believe you will observe while watching your favorite team.
Enjoy the games!
