Rules committee: Taunting on scoring plays might wipe out TDs

The NCAA rules committee is considering disallowing a touchdown if a player is flagged for taunting during a scoring play.

Citing an increasing concern over unsportsmanlike conduct, rules committee chairman Mike Bellotti said Wednesday that his group is considering "a major change" to the taunting rules.

Currently, "taunting, baiting or ridiculing an opponent verbally" is considered a dead-ball foul. Penalty yardage is assessed on the next kickoff. If the rule is changed, penalty yardage would be marked off from the spot of the foul and the touchdown would be nullified.

Simply explained: Think of an offensive player, headed toward the end zone, turning to show a defender the ball in a taunting manner before he crosses the goal line. That play would be considered a live-ball foul.

"It would be treated like a clip, for example," said Rogers Redding, NCAA secretary-rules editor.

In a Statement on Sportsmanship released Wednesday after a three-day meeting in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., the committee said adjusting the taunting rule, "is a viable option for possible rules changes in the future."

The change would not affect something like The Gator Stomp from 2007. After a Georgia touchdown against Florida that year, the entire Bulldogs bench emptied to celebrate the score on the field. Georgia was assessed unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, but the touchdown stood.

Such a rules change would not take place until at least 2011. In fact, the committee did not even make a former proposal. For now, coaches and officials will be contacted for their opinions on the change.

"College football is a team game and prolonged acts that draw attention to the individual are not consistent with that philosophy," said Bellotti, the Oregon head coach. "The rules committee reminds head coaches of their responsibility for the behavior of their players before and after, as well as during, the game ... Repeated occurrence of such unsportsmanlike behavior by a team may result in punitive action by the conference."

"We feel that there may need to be more ejections," Bellotti said during a conference call.

The downside to such a rules change is that unsportsmanlike acts are open to interpretation. The NCAA rule book tries to be specific as possible, currently prohibiting:

• "Abusive, threatening or obscene language or gestures."

• "Pointing the fingers, hands, arms or ball at an opponent or imitating the slashing of the throat."

• "Simulating the firing of a weapon or placing a hand by the ear to request recognition."

• "Obviously altering stride."

• "Diving into the end zone."

• "Punching one's own chest or crossing one's arms in front of the chest while standing over a prone player."

• "Going into the stands to interact with spectators or bowing at the waist after a good play."

The committee did recommend the following 2009 rules changes:

• If a punter carries the ball outside the tackle box, he could not be the subject of a roughing-the-kicker penalty. The change addresses rugby-style punters who frequently run outside the tackle box before making their kicks.

• Both teams can wear colored jerseys if approved by a conference office and both teams. When an agreement is unable to be reached, the visiting team will wear white.

That issue came up prior to last season's USC-UCLA game. USC wore its home jerseys at the Rose Bowl and was penalized a timeout at the beginning of the game. UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel burned a timeout to equalize things.

The NCAA is going to a two-year rules cycle. Any proposals that are approved will be in effect for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Wednesday's proposed rules changes were only recommendations. They still have to be approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel later this year.

Bellotti added there was wide support for last season's timing rule that shortened the length of games. The rules committee largely adopted the NFL model beginning in 2008. It resulted in approximately nine fewer plays per game. Game were shortened by approximately 10 minutes compared to 2007.