No More Halo Violations
filed in NCAA on Feb.19, 2003
They have voted to do away with the 2-yard halo rule. Personally, I think it’s a bad decision. I think the halo rule protected returners and was especially important in college football where special teams can be an after thought, blocking can be poor and alot of times you get defenders coming full-speed, unimpeded to the returner. But on the bright side it’s sure to produce some highlight reel hits, more turnovers on kicks and be a little more like the NFL. I’m not sure I can buy the “false sense of security” argument Donnie Duncan invokes in the article. I find it hard to believe that returners were somehow less prepared and therefore more apt to get injured because they had 2 yards to catch the ball. We’ve all seen a guy get popped, legally and illegally, by a defender coming in at just the right time. If I were back there, head up to the sky, totally focused on only the ball I think I would still be thinking, “be ready because you’re about to get nailed.”
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February 19th, 2003 on 8:02 am
Hey, I’m glad to be rid of this rule. The refs were always partial when they decided when to call it. Always against the Buffs not for them. Remember that time when the defender ran into Bloom as he was catcching the punt; Bloom made the catch; the defender then couldn’t tackle Bloom and grabbing onto Bloom’s helmet until it was backward on Bloom’s head? No call.. I submit the Halo rule wasn’t helping anyone anyway.
February 19th, 2003 on 8:21 am
You have no idea how much Bloom has benefited from the halo rule. For all we know he would have broken his leg 10 kicks before the one where he had his head re-aligned. Not too mention, beyond just the safety aspect, defenders that were respecting the rule were slower to get down the field and were forced to give returners at least 2 yards which was subjective and turned into 5 yards. That means people with an amazingly quick first step, like Bloom or dare I mention…Ben Kelly, had an advantage. We might not have seen as many amazing plays if it weren’t for the halo rule either because the defense was smoothering the return man or because the best return men in the game were all on the sidelines with broken legs, arms and backs.
February 19th, 2003 on 8:26 am
Now that punt returners are football players again it’s about time they do something about those quarterbacks.
February 19th, 2003 on 8:35 am
Ahhh… Ben Kelly’s Great!
February 20th, 2003 on 9:15 am
I’m glad they’ve changed this rule. If the returner is afraid of getting popped, fair catch the ball. 75% the time I saw that call made, it wasn’t because the defender hit the guy early but because he happend to run by him within the two yard limit. The new rules still state that you can’t impede the returner’s ability to catch the ball, so we won’t see any early hits. Good change in my opinion.
February 8th, 2008 on 10:44 am
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February 8th, 2008 on 10:55 am
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