OT: New NCAA Football Uniform Rules

Not sure if this was brought up in any other thread, but thought there might be some interesting takes on this around TKP... There are some new "rules" for what's allowed and what's not with the way football uniforms are worn starting in 2018. I don't have an strong opinion one way or another, but it looks like a lot of 'croots are already bagging on the new rules, and they have a right to state their case at least (I know Devyn Ford already tweeted about it - https://twitter.com/TsunamiFord/status/991472257477341186).

"Among the new uniform rules:

  • The entire knee must now be covered
  • Jersey's can't be rolled up to reveal stomach
  • For those who opt to wear a back plate, it can't be exposed
  • T-shirt can't show below the jersey

    (This one makes zero sense. What "problem" does this solve? And what happens if it does slip out during the course of a game, are refs going to seriously tell a player it needs to be covered up on top of all the other duties we ask them to juggle?)"

    http://footballscoop.com/news/ncaa-new-ridiculous-uniform-guidelines-2018/

    What will enforcement look like, and what penalties will players incur for repeat violations? All in the name of player safety, or just the NCAA flexing more control to head off PC-related issues?

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Comments

Well... this just looked ridiculous.

Is there a picture showing up here? Supposed to be the one from this link. Ejuan Price in ridiculous shorts
So, I'm all for the pants thing.

And usually the guy with his jersey tucked up under his pads is some form of douchey player. Usually a 3rd stringer who is really enthusiastic about special teams.

And usually the guy with his jersey tucked up under his pads tshirt hanging out is some form of douchey player. Usually a 3rd stringer who is really enthusiastic about special teams.

Or potentially next year's staying cornerback.

(Yes, I took some creative liberties with your quote, but I'm sure you meant that, too.)

"Yes I am going to have favorites. My favorites are high production and low maintenance players, coaches, and staff." - JMFF

T-shirt doesn't bother me as much. It looks sloppy. But I don't think douchey when I see those.

We were always required to tuck our shirts in and not wear shorts with pockets during football/wrestling to avoid breaking fingers

Free Hugh

My sister dislocated a thumb guarding a girl in basketball who had rolled down the top of her shorts leaving the drawl string exposed. It is always go going to be something.

That's why you set and enforce rules, including those based around uniforms, to mitigate injuries best you can.

Free Hugh

Didn't mean to imply I disagree with such rules, in fact I really do because of things like that. Sometimes it is better to make rules such as wear the uniform as it was intended or state what you are trying to prevent by saying there should be nothing about the uniform could be a "snag" hazard. I know this makes it more subjective, but safety rules such as this should allow for broad interpretation (so long as complying when asked to by the official avoids a penalty being enforced).

Other than looking stupid, how does the affect the game? Is he gaining an advantage? If so what? He maybe stays cool a little better? If so that is an improvement to player safety by reducing the risk of heat stroke.

Plan for the worst and hope for the best, not the other way around.

It's a safety issue. They should be wearing their knee pads

Free Hugh

Knee pads don't just protect the wearer either. They mitigate the damage caused from knees contacting other players.

"Nope, launch him into the sun and fart on him on the way up"
-gobble gobble chumps

"11-0, bro"
-Hunter Carpenter (probably)

Good point. Idk if knee pads were used or not, but I vividly remember Tebow cracking his head on someones knee.

Free Hugh

So glad UNC finally got some sanctions

I just sit on my couch and b*tch. - HokieChemE2016

I know that was an historic day!

PDXHokie

^a historic

Nope.

Oh, wait, is this another TKP thing I don't know about?

"Yes I am going to have favorites. My favorites are high production and low maintenance players, coaches, and staff." - JMFF

When I see folks saying "an historic" it makes me want to hit them with an hammer.

Both are acceptable according to many schools of writing due to different pronunciations of the words.

it sounds a lot better than it looks though

"Why gobble gobble chumps asks such good questions, I will never know." - TheFifthFuller

Hammer says please, don't hurt 'em.

"Yes I am going to have favorites. My favorites are high production and low maintenance players, coaches, and staff." - JMFF

PLAID. FUCKING PLAID.

"You know when the Hokies say 'We are Virginia Tech' they're going to mean it."- Lee Corso

NCAA out here trying to one-up the No Fun League.

The Orange and Maroon you see, that's fighting on to victory.

There's a whole lotta get off my lawn baked into those rules

"When I was growing up, Virginia Tech was a school that was kicking ass and taking names, and it's time we get back to that" - James Franklin

AKA The Zeke Rule.

@hokie_rd

Of course, now they want him to lose his belly so he can show his abs.

We put the K in Kwality

@hokie_rd

The knee thing I get, plus I think it should also be required to wear knee pads. For the back plate, I think I recall a story about a player getting a finger caught on one while trying to make a tackle, so I think that also falls under player safety.

The T-shirt and abdomen rules, we'll just have to call it a style thing.

I have no problem with the rules but how will they be enforced?

"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it." - K

Same way they are in high school. Repeatedly tell the kids to fix them even thought the school knowingly bought jerseys/pants that don't conform, get bitched at by coaches, get bitched at by higher-ups if we don't enforce it.

Equipment violations usually result in the team losing a timeout.

At least that's what I remember from when UCLA and USC basically said "screw it" and both played in their home uniforms a few years ago. That led the NCAA to relax on the white vs. color rules. (The visiting team was penalized, and the home team immediately took a timeout in solidarity.)

but how will they be enforced?

Maybe the same way Roanoke Virginia enforces the smoking laws. (hint: it doesn't).

I don't have much of a problem with this. More exposed skin = greater risk of laceration, especially now with the targeting rule prompting tacklers to go low.

The T-shirt thing seems a little crotchety.

"I liked you guys a lot better when everybody told you you were terrible." -Justin Fuente

I like them, feel like things were a bit too much
with the short pants, etc.

The only change I understand is the back pad rule. The rest are the NCAA trying to look like they have control. Let the players have some individuality. If a guy wants to have shorter pants or roll the jersey and get all sorts of turf burn, let him! He won't be hurting anyone else.

Perhaps the larger motive is that if they NCAA reduces they way players can distinguish themselves it will reduce their individual brand and therefore their individual worth to the sport.

Plan for the worst and hope for the best, not the other way around.

They want the teams to look clean and uniform. That isn't a bad thing. I would argue it isn't the most important thing though, and I don't see where the NCAA is saying that it is.

"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it." - K

Who at the NCAA thought this was the most pressing thing in college sports?

I have no idea why my username is VT_Warthog.

Arkansas blew a 24-0 lead in the Belk Bowl.

Need my corners and receivers looking swaggy af... these new uniform regulations got our players lookin like a bunch of narcs...if they ban gold fronts im OUT.

Okay when do these go in effect and will the NCAA compensate schools that might have bought uniforms that are non compliant for this year?

These football uniform rules are getting out of hand. What's next? Can't wear shorts with pockets for flag football?

Not sure if this is /s but that's already a rule in VT rec flag football. My freshman year you could duck tape over the pockets but after that year they didn't even allow that anymore. Who has shorts with no pockets!?

Me

"Why gobble gobble chumps asks such good questions, I will never know." - TheFifthFuller

Read his signature.

If you don't want to recruit clowns, don't run a clown show.

"I want to punch people from UVA right in the neck." - Colin Cowherd

I saw it. It's just an issue I was pretty pissed about while at VT and wanted to weigh in.

I have no problem with that rule. It's just an issue I was pretty pissed about while at VT and wanted to weight in as a guy who broke a finger just above the last knuckle when my finger caught in someone's pocket while stripping a flag belt off...

Also, who doesn't have athletic shorts without pockets? Only people who've never tried to play basketball with your keys in your pocket only to take a nut shot from said keys.

Warning: this post occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors)..

Sorry to hear you broke your finger. I understand the importance of the rule now, but when I was in college I didn't get it. What really upset me more was not being able to tape my pockets instead of having to buy a pair of shorts I would only ever use for flag football.

Who has shorts with no pockets!?

My wife. Almost nothing she owns has pockets, which results in me having to carry her phone and wallet in my pockets, because despite owning a couple dozen purses, she never really carries one.

β€œYou got one guy going boom, one guy going whack, and one guy not getting in the endzone.”
― John Madden (describing VT's offense?)

Another upside to the XFL

You put those words together, those are my favorite words, Popeyes and bahama
- Mike Burnup

1) kneepads I am fine with.

2) the rest is paternalistic bullshit to distract everyone from the NCAA being completely incapable of doing their intended job.

Five star get after it 100 percent Juice Key-Playing. MAN

Could this be the result of pressure from brand companies? (Nike, Under Armour, etc.) Maybe these companies have data indicating or just believe that viewer perception of the brand can be hurt if viewers see the uniform as sloppy or not fitting well. Just a guess... otherwise I'm not sure what prompted the NCAA to address this. I don't think I even once saw this being discussed as an issue.

Does the NCAA make any money directly from these companies?

Free Hugh

Probably not. However, they are supposed to act in a way that is beneficial for the schools, so if there was a lot of pressure behind the scenes from schools of one brand or another, that might be enough for it.

No way in hell would a team come up with all of these ideas publicly, but it makes sense that they'd privately ask the NCAA to do it for them.

I like these rules. 1) The knee pads and back pad rules are clearly about safety. 2) While the safety area of the other rules can be debated, they present a cleaner, more uniform, and more professional look to the entire team.

I'm actually surprised that these rules are just now being put in place. When I played high school football in the mid-90's these were rules, I just figured they were the same at higher levels as well.

There is nothing in the world like Thursday night in Blacksburg!

I thought the no-stomach-thing was already a thing, but I guess I was wrong. I kinda feel like the no-stomach-thing and the tee shirt thing are contradictory though... like, you're gonna punish a guy with a long torso because the school doesn't provide long enough jerseys? IDK

Best duos in Hokie history: Hall & Adibi, 3rd & Tyrod, Georgia & Liz

If a team can find a jersey long enough for a 6'6" RT, they can surely find one long enough for a 5'10" RB.

No, I *don't* want to go to the SEC. Why do you ask?

We don't love dem Hoos.

But they can't find gloves big enough for Boykin's hands!!!!!111!1!!~

Best duos in Hokie history: Hall & Adibi, 3rd & Tyrod, Georgia & Liz

I swear, the only reason Boykin didn't get custom gloves is so they could keep talking about how he burst them.

A decade on TKP and it's been time well spent.

I think the rules relating to exposed knees and back plates are good rules that protect the players' safety. The no-exposed-belly rule is just dumb, IMO. I don't see why the NCAA feels obligated or authorized to enforce that one, to be honest. If a guy wants to expose his lower torso to rugburns, that's his business. I could go either way on the untucked undershirt rule. I suppose it's possible that a tackler who grabs the tail of the shirt could get tangled up and injure a finger. What I don't understand is why a player would want to play with his undershirt hanging out. It just provides something for a prospective tackler to grab onto and bring you down.

As for enforcement, it should be pretty simple. If the ref sees a player with a noncompliant uniform, he just sends the player off the field and doesn't allow him to return until the problem is corrected, much like a chinstrap or mouthpiece problem.

β€œYou got one guy going boom, one guy going whack, and one guy not getting in the endzone.”
― John Madden (describing VT's offense?)

Regarding your second bullet, as long as they are taking away image #1 and NOT image #2, I am okay.