"I don't like it, and the only coaches I know who like it are on defense. Now, they don't have as many plays to defend. I wouldn't mind going back to the way it used to be. I don't think what we have is good for the game." - Bobby Bowden in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
While Bowden may be peeved, former Nole and Texas coach Mack Brown believes the new clock rules cost him last season's big game with Ohio State: "They scored with six minutes left and the game was over before we had a chance to do anything. I really hope whoever made these changes will go back and look them over."
This week, Bowden and Brown may get their wish as the NCAA rules committee meets. And the controversial clock rules will hog the discusssion, if not the agenda.
Other coaches believe the new rules range from irritating to downright evil:
"I think we're cheating the fans...Do you think they are saying 'Well, we just drove six hours to the game. I wish we could see 12 fewer plays?'" - Mark Richt
"It totally changed the way you begin your drive. The bottom line is that you lose about one possession per game." - David Cutcliffe, UT Off. Coordinator
"What we've got now makes it much easier just to run out the clock when you've got the lead." - Steve Spurrier
Auburn's Tommy Tuberville will have a lot to say about any changes, but he's one coach who's not complaining. Tuberville, one of two Div. I-A coaches on the 13-member committee, says "I'm going to listen to all the arguments, but the bottom line is
we have to do what's best for the players. One of the reasons we wanted to make the change was that we were asking the players to play another game (referring to the 12th game approved by
the NCAA.)"
One modification to the rules being discussed: reverting to the old rules for the last five minutes of the half and of the game.
Comments? Questions? Kudos?