NEW YORK – Arkansas coach Bret Bielema and Alabama coach Nick Saban voiced their concerns about the effects of up-tempo, no-huddle offenses on player safety to the NCAA committee that passed a proposal to slow down those attacks.
Neither Bielema nor Saban were on the committee and they did not vote on the proposal passed Wednesday to allow defenses time to substitute between plays by prohibiting offenses from snapping the ball until 29 seconds are left on the 40-second play clock.
NCAA coordinator of officials Rogers Redding says Bielema was there as a representative of the American Football Coaches Association. Saban had asked for the opportunity to speak to the committee.
The proposal must be approved by the playing rules oversight panel, which meets March 6.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.