Kept on the sidelines with a redshirt last season, punter/kicker Stefan Demos stepped onto the field this year, ready for the Cats’ first kickoff of the season.
But nothing looked familiar. A two-inch tee had turned into a one-inch tee – the normal jump from high school to college. More importantly, the ball was five yards farther back than it used to be – a jump that in past years would not have been seen until entering pro football.
“I was a little worried with the hang time of the kicks,” Demos said. “Off the smaller tee, it’s much more difficult to get better hang time. Moving back to the 30, that’s what most important.”
Last March, the NCAA rules oversight panel made a decision to push college football kickoffs back from the 35-yard yard line, to the NFL’s starting position of the 30-yard line. It was one of several offseason changes designed to keep the game moving at a reasonable pace.
At Big Ten Media Day in July, thoughts were mixed. The offensive-minded coaches salivated.
“I think anytime you change the norm, you’ll see a little effect,” Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. “I kind of wish they changed it last year when No. 7 (Ted Ginn Jr.) was in there running in the back. But nevertheless, it’ll be interesting to see the change.”
The defensive-minded coaches cringed.
“The ball will be coming out quicker and more effectively,” Minnesota coach Tim Brewster said. “I’m a little bit of a defensive coach so I wasn’t really in favor of the change. You will need to have great speed and it will make it more critical for teams to have a kicker who can put it in the end zone.”
But the largest concern for coaches had little to do with shortening the span of a game about 15 minutes. It was keeping their players on the field.
Purdue coach Joe Tiller had the strongest beliefs against the rule change before the season even started, at the conference’s media day. While his program holds one of the best offenses in the country, the extra five yards adds little comfort to his coaching mindset.
“So, now we’re moving back five yards so we can create more G-forces when these kids are running into each other,” Tiller said. “So, I’m not in favor of moving it back five yards. Not because I’m opposed to excitement of the game, etc., but I think about the health and safety of the players.”
NU saw firsthand the potential danger of the 5-yard difference. Three weeks ago in Columbus, Ohio, cornerback Sherrick McManis was speared on a first-half kickoff against Ohio State. McManis suffered a mild concussion, dodging further injury and returning to play the next week.
But the threat of injury remains in back of coaches’ heads more often than in past years. McManis has not returned a kickoff since that play, and said he was unsure if he would return any kicks for the remainder of the season.
In McManis’ mind, the new rule does everything to benefit the return team.
“It’s a big difference,” he said. “They’re giving you that extra yardage to help out the offense. It’s a big advantage for us as kick returners.”
And the numbers back up that assertion. Halfway through this season, five kickoffs have been returned for touchdowns by Big Ten teams. Only seven were returned the distance all of last season.
While all 11 teams ranged between 15 to 23 yards a return in 2006, that number has jumped from 18 to 29 yards in 2007. With the 5-yard difference, Demos has minimal expectations of anyone opting to take a knee in the end zone.
“They don’t really mind returning kicks from five yards deep in the end zone,” Demos said. “There are returners who have the natural ability to run it out. There are definitely enough athletes in the Big Ten who can take it back the distance every single time if you give them a chance.”
Reach Chris Gentilviso
