NCAA Football Rules Committee Proposes Kickoff, Pace of Play, Other Changes

College football fans may see more touchbacks in the near future. 

According to Greg Johnson of NCAA.org, the NCAA Football Rules Committee proposed a rule that would give the kickoff receiving team a touchback on any fair catch inside the 25-yard line.

"The committee made the proposal to address player safety on the kickoff and to address tactics that attempt to pin the receiving team close to its goal line," Johnson wrote. "All other aspects of the kickoff play will remain the same."

This wouldn't be the first change to kickoffs in the name of safety if it is implemented. Kickoffs were moved to the 35-yard line from the 30 before the 2012 campaign, while touchbacks were pushed up from the 20-yard line to the 25 the same season.

"The committee discussed the kickoff play at great length and we will continue to work to find ways to improve the play," Larry Fedora, chair of the committee and head coach at North Carolina, said, per Johnson. "We believe making one change will allow us to study the effect of this change in terms of player safety."

Dan Gartland of Sports Illustrated called kickoffs "one of the most dangerous plays in football" and noted Southern receiver Devon Gales and Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand were each paralyzed on kickoffs in 2015 and 2010, respectively.

The Rules Committee proposed a number of other rules as well, including one that would prevent offensive players from blocking below the waist more than five yards downfield and another that would treat penalties during field goals like ones during extra points, giving teams the option to enforce them on the following kickoff.

Pace of play was also a topic of discussion, with the Rules Committee proposing a play clock to be set at 40 seconds after a touchdown and after kickoffs.