MEAC may see more touchdown returns

By Heath A. Smith, DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER

Only two kickoffs were returned for touchdowns in 2006 by the top 10 ranked kick returners in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

MEAC head football coaches are expecting a significant spike in that number because of one of the new NCAA rules changes.

Starting this season, kickoffs will be moved back from the 40-yard line to the 30-yard line.

"You are going to see a lot more kickoffs taken back for touchdowns this season," Morgan State football coach Donald Hill-Eley said. "Instead of 20 percent of the kickoffs returned, 80 percent will be returned now, which means more opportunities to take it all the way."

The new kickoff line is one of five rule changes approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on the recommendation of the football rules committee.

The other changes are:

The clock will start on the snap after a change in possession instead of when the referee signals the ball ready for play.

The clock will start on kickoffs only when the ball is legally touched in the field of play.

The play clock will be limited to 15 seconds for televised games following commercial timeouts.

Charged team timeouts will be limited to 30 seconds plus the 25-second game clock for televised games.

"All the rules are set up to speed the game up," Hill-Eley said. "They are trying to put every rule in place to get it back to how it was before. They are trying to cut time out of the game to get it under three hours."

FAMU coach Rubin Carter said of all the new changes, moving the kickoff line back to the 30-yard line will have the greatest impact.

"I think it will impact the game a great deal," Carter said. "It places an even greater emphasis on special teams, especially your kickoff-return team.

"You are going to have to come up with good blocking schemes. You are also going to have to find someone to put back there that can take the ball back."

Carter has at his disposal senior Wesley Taylor, a former All-American punter who was named to the All-MEAC preseason first team at punter and place kicker. Taylor recorded just six touchbacks last season.

"It will change how we approach kickoff coverage a great deal," Carter said. "Those are some of the things we will go through during the next three weeks as we go into training camp."

Hampton coach Joe Taylor returns the top statistical kickoff returner from 2006, Kevin Teel. The junior averaged 31.2 yards a return in 2006, including one for a touchdown.

"There are going to be a lot of returns because I don't know how many kickers can get it into the endzone from the 30," Taylor said. "It is going to put a lot more pressure on your cover teams.

You also might see a lot more spreads and pooch kicks. You are going to have to look at all options because it is going to affect the game.

"There are five plays every game that are going to decide whether you are going to win or lose. Those plays are usually found in special teams," Taylor added. "Normally it was with the punt team, but I think more of those plays are going to come from the kickoff team with the rule change."