College Football 2011: The 10 Players Most Affected by New Taunting Rule
As if there weren't enough excessive celebration rules, college football has added a new one.
Any kind of taunting while a play is occurring will nullify a play.
Here's an example. Your quarterback breaks a 90-yard run for a touchdown and does a Heisman pose as he scampers down the field. That 90-yard touchdown just became a penalty, whereas previously it would have been a dead-ball foul, assessed on the kickoff.
Other taunting violations include holding the ball out, somersaults and high stepping. These penalties will be assessed from the spot of the foul.
Once again the game seems to be getting watered down by unnecessary rules. If a player has the time to do any of the above things, then who cares? I love the game of football, but if the players want to have a few seconds of fun while they're competing, it doesn't hurt the integrity of the game the way these kinds of rules suggest.
Frankly, my favorite play in football is the guy who starts showboating only to have the ball stripped from him just short of the goal line. What if this rule actually stops it from happening?
Anyway, here are the 10 players most likely to have the time to taunt their opponents en route to a touchdown.
Alabama RB Trent Richardson
1 of 10
Richardson usually does his celebrating after the play is over.
But, when you are as good as he is, that means he is going to break a few big runs this year. If it comes against a rival, Richardson may not be able to wait until the end zone to being celebrating.
Nick Saban won't be too happy if it happens.
Oregon RB LaMichael James
2 of 10
James is an explosive running back with breakaway speed.
It gets lonely out there when you're busy leaving the secondary in your dust.
Nebraska QB Taylor Martinez
3 of 10
Taylor Martinez has swag. Maybe a little too much.
Who is to say that when he breaks off one his big runs this year that he won't be doing a little showboating on the way?
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Michigan QB Denard Robinson
4 of 10
This new rule seems pretty strict. Will they flag Robinson if he has time to stop and tie his shoes?
Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor
5 of 10
Terrelle Pyror has a lot to prove in his senior year.
After the controversy he faced at the end of the 2010 season, he may feel the need to celebrate his scores.
This list is kind of heavy on Big Ten quarterbacks...
Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon
6 of 10
I was pretty surprised when Blackmon decided to spend another year in college.
This guy is going to score a lot this year; he's bound to prematurely celebrate sometimes.
South Carolina WR Alshon Jeffery
7 of 10
Jeffery was the No. 4 receiver in the nation as a sophomore in 2010.
To do that in the SEC is quite the accomplishment, and Jeffery may see that as reason to do a little showboating.
East Carolina QB Dominique Davis
8 of 10
Davis is a player you may not have heard of.
He is the kind of guy who can score with his legs or his arm, and last year he found the end zone 37 times through the air and nine times on the ground.
The more you score, the more chances you have to celebrate.
Western Kentucky RB Bobby Rainey
9 of 10
Last year Rainey was the lone bright spot on an awful Western Kentucky team.
He broke free for 15 touchdowns and 1,649 yards. When you're carrying a team on your back, you want to make sure people notice.
Washington RB Chris Polk
10 of 10
In Polk's sophomore campaign, he averaged 5.4 yards a carry and scored nine touchdowns.
With Jake Locker in the NFL, Washington's offense will rely on the legs of Polk. That might inspire him to do a little high-stepping.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
