Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez has called the NCAA's proposed 10-second defensive substitution rule "ridiculous," and the school decided to make fun of the proposal Monday by releasing a spoof video playing off the movie "Speed."
Arizona's video features Rich Rodriguez and football staffer Matt Dudek, who plays the role of an "old school coach," complete with a clunky 1980s version of the cell phone. "I want the game to be played like it used to be," Dudek as the old-school coach laments during the video. Interspersed are scenes from "Speed" featuring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock.
It is tremendous.
Earlier this month, the NCAA's Football Rules Committee recommended a rules change related to defensive substitutions: Basically, an offense will not be allowed to snap the ball with more than 29 seconds on the play clock. The proposed rule says a defense must be allowed to substitute within the first 10 seconds of the 40-second play clock, with the exception of the final two minutes of each half. If the ball is snapped with more than 29 seconds on the play clock, a 5-yard delay-of-game penalty will be assessed.
Under current rules, defenses are not guaranteed an opportunity to substitute unless the offense substitutes first. That part of the rule will remain in place in scenarios where the play clock starts at 25 seconds.
The proposal must be approved by the 11-member Playing Rules Oversight Panel, which meets Thursday. A majority vote of those 11 members is needed for the proposal to pass. But given that even the chairman of the rules committee, Air Force coach Troy Calhoun, evidently now doesn't see a reason for the rule to exist, expect the proposal to be voted down.
"Speed," by the way, won two Academy Awards. Seriously. So not only do Arizona officials deserve a thumbs-up for making fun of the ridiculous rules proposal, they get a thumbs-up for using an Oscar-winning film the day after the Academy Awards presentation.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.