The NCAA's College Football Rules Committee has voted instruct officials to "stringently enforce" the 3-yard limit on illegal man downfield penalties beginning in 2016.
According to an NCAA press release, the illegal man downfield rule was "discussed at length" during the College Football Rules Committee's 4-day meeting this week. The rule came under increased scrutiny in 2015 for its failure to be called in a number of high-profile instances, including the Alabama-Ole Miss game.
Speaking with reporters on an NCAA conference call Thursday, Rules Committee secretary Rogers Redding said additional officials on the field will be on the lookout for illegal men downfield. The change in officiating mechanics — with the head lineman and line judge joining the umpire in being on the lookout for illegal man downfield — was actually put into motion midway through last season, he said.
"We've said it — this is going to be a hard and fast 3-yard rule," said Redding, also the NCAA's coordinator of football officials. "In other words, we're not going to allow some (leeway), where it's 3-and-a-half or four yards, we'll give them that. We're going to be diligent about enforcing the rule as it's written."
