The NCAA approved a new rule Wednesday to protect quarterbacks from hits at or below the knee.
The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel met via conference call and approved a rule to protect what the NCAA called "defenseless" passers from low contact. A violation will lead to a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty.
The NFL already has a rule that "no defensive player who has an unrestricted path to the quarterback may hit him flagrantly in the area of the knee(s) or below when approaching in any direction." It's surprising the NCAA didn't already have a rule of this nature, and the new rule will lessen the potential of a major knee injury for college quarterbacks.
Cincinnati quarterback Munchie Legaux suffered a severe knee injury when he was hit low against Illinois last season; he missed the rest of the season but is expected back this fall.
In a release, the NCAA said the new rule "specifically covers a scenario in which a quarterback is in a passing posture with one or both feet on the ground. In that situation, no defensive player rushing unabated can hit him forcibly at or below the knee. The defensive player also may not initiate a roll or lunge and forcibly hit the quarterback in the knee area or below."
The rule does not apply when the quarterback has become a runner, even in the tackle box; when the defender is trying to make a "conventional" tackle; and when a rusher is blocked into the quarterback.
The NCAA said the rule was discussed during the Football Rules Committee's February meeting -- the meeting in which the defensive substitution rule (or, as some called it, "the Saban Rule") was recommended -- but no action was taken at that time. Since then, the NCAA's release said, the commissioners of all 10 FBS conferences expressed support for the proposal.
The NCAA release said that "surveys of college football coaches indicate support of the new rule among head coaches." There was no survey before the defensive substitution rule was recommended. The release also said that the rules committee was shown several videos showing instances in which the rule would be applied.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
