Column: NCAA shelfs “Saban Rule”
Jan 2, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban argues with a referee in the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports
Nick Saban had some choice and interesting words for the those who run up-tempo style offenses, like the Oklahoma Sooners who defeated his Crimson Tide. Before I get to that, I am pleased to report that during a teleconference call, the Rules Committee tabled the “Slow Down Rule.”
Outside of the fact there is no evidence that this style of offense increases injuries, which according to a non scientific study on CFBmatrix.com, uptempo actually decreases injuries. It appears playing SEC style football, causes more injuries. Sarcasm aside, the numbers in this case, don’t lie.
Nick Saban channeled his inner Bret Bielema, to try to make the up-tempo offenses something that should be dealt with immediately. He said the following:
"“The fastball guys [up-tempo coaches] say there’s no data out there, and I guess you have to use some logic.”“What’s the logic? If you smoke one cigarette, do you have the same chances of getting cancer if you smoke 20? I guess there’s no study that specifically says that. But logically, we would say, ‘Yeah, there probably is.'” (Via ESPN.com)"
First, I find it hard to believe the lengths that Saban has gone to slow down the tempo, and change the game of college football since the infamous speech by Coach Bielema. Bielema spoke of “Death Certificates.” Saban attempted to link the analogy of cancer and smoking cigarettes. Did they try too hard though to villianize the up-tempo? Answer to that is a resounding, “YES”.
Many coaches, including Bob Stoops, have voiced there is no evidence to support an increased risk of injury when playing with the up-tempo, on either side of the ball.
I recently re-watched the Sugar Bowl. The Crimson Tide did not substitute when Oklahoma’s offense substituted every time. The rule as it is, the Defense has to be given an opportunity to substitute. That is a lapse on the defensive staff of the opposing defense. Why change the rule, when the same thing will happen after the fact?
It appears that Saban and Bielema targeted the uptempo offense’s unfairly. There are many other ways to increase player safety like they said they wanted to accomplish with out changing the nature of the game of football.
Teaching proper fundamentals, such as tackling technique, would go a long way in eliminating the head-to-head contact. That rule, the targeting rule, given the nature of concussions, was a prudent move. If this was about player safety, why did the rule throw away safety in the last 2 minutes of each half? Why is there no rule to eliminate overtime?
Wouldn’t that be the most likely time for a player to get injured during time played outside of regulation? Or, no consideration for shorter quarters?
When Tony Callhoun, Chairman of Rules Committee, said that it was only “speculative” that injuries occur during games featuring up-tempo, several weeks after being in support of this rule. You knew that was a sign that the rule, had a very good chance it would not make it to even be voted on.
Add in the fact that 93 FBS coaches, which is 75% of all the coaches, did not want this rule change, according to an ESPN poll.
You know that all 93 of those coaches do not run this style of offense. Twenty-five coaches did say the up-tempo should be slowed. Ten were undecided. That is damning to the crusade to slow the tempo.
I would expect the NCAA to look at this, and do the research. However, as I stated earlier in the article, CFBmatrix.com has done the leg work as far as just raw statics go.
Saban and Bielema were the champions of this, though Saban remained silent on this for a long while until yesterday.
Bielema continued to move forward, grasping at anything he could to get the NCAA to change the rules, that benefits no one, under the guise of “Player Safety“. The NCAA Rules committee did the right thing by not caving to the premiere head coach in the nation.
We will see how the chips fall with all the proposals that are remaining on the table…no pun intended.