If school soccer was rated by the Bureau of Shopper Safety, there could be a problem with 2024. On the intersection of commerce and participant security, the season concluded with much less soccer and longer video games.

That is one hidden conclusion from final season as CBS Sports activities posts its annual school soccer stat wrap. 

The much-discussed change permitting the clock to run after first downs, starting in 2023, has had the specified impact. Since earlier than the rule change in 2022, complete mixed performs per sport are down 5 per contest to roughly 175. (That complete consists of particular groups and live-ball penalties.)

Nevertheless, the typical sport size in 2024 ticked as much as 3 hours, 27 minutes. That is the tied for the second-longest sport size for the reason that NCAA began monitoring such issues in 2008. The 11 playoff video games have been even longer, averaging 3 hours, 29 ½ minutes. That is counting the additional time Peach Bowl involving Texas and Arizona State that lasted greater than 4 hours. 

Over a full season, that 2024 playoff common could be the longest ever. 

What occurred? It is difficult and maybe unexplainable. 

That first-down rule was one of the vital in a long time. Since 1968, the play clock had been stopped after first downs. That was one of many key differentiators between the faculty and professional sport till the rule was modified two seasons in the past. 

The clock was allowed to run for participant security causes. In concept, much less soccer meant fewer accidents (extra on that under). The change additionally had a authorized underpinning. After they have been dragged into courtroom on head trauma points, for instance, the NCAA and faculties may level to that first-down step they’d taken to minimize harm.

In that sense, participant security trumps any bigger concern about size of video games. 

“Commissioners have begun to take a look at performs per sport reasonably than length,” mentioned an NCAA supply who needed to stay nameless.

Within the first 12 months of the primary down rule (2023), complete performs declined solely barely, however that very same 12 months general scoring declined to its lowest price since 2011 – 27.8 factors per staff. 

The apparent Joe Twelve Pack conclusion is that tv has intervened to make video games longer. However TV trade sources insist the business breaks are nonetheless the identical. The 4-5-4-5 mannequin for breaks is damaged down this manner – 4 community breaks lasting two to a few minutes per quarter. 

After including breaks on the finish of the primary and third quarters, these breaks develop into 5-5-5-5. That is doubtlessly 36 minutes added to the printed. It is also nothing new. The format has been in place for years. 

One clarification for longer video games could possibly be the size of “bumpers.” Bumpers are kind of the netherworld getting out and in of economic breaks. A community would possibly promo its programming for just a few seconds earlier than it goes again to dwell motion. Announcers would possibly have interaction in sport evaluation, an instantaneous replay or joyful discuss to fill time. May that unmeasurable be dragging out video games?

“It has extra to do with how a lot time it takes coming out and in of breaks,” a TV trade supply mentioned. “It isn’t a fabric distinction. If it was a 15-minute distinction, 10-minute distinction I might sound an alarm … It may fluctuate subsequent 12 months.” 

One thing has occurred. From 2008-2020, common sport size elevated 17 minutes per sport, nearly 9%. Halftimes are 20 minutes and could be adjusted by mutual settlement by each faculties. The “two-minute timeout” that was instituted in 2024 additionally wasn’t an element. That stoppage mimicking the NFL’s two-minute warning is counted as a community timeout. 

All of it’s a refined reminder of the commercials being king. Notre Dame held the ball for the primary 9:45 in opposition to Ohio State within the Faculty Soccer Playoff Nationwide Championship. That had programmers scrambling to get these business breaks in. If not, they carry over to the following quarter, interrupting the movement of the sport.  

The playoff video games on the whole have been longer. Within the 11-year historical past of the CFP, semifinal video games have averaged 3 ½ hours. The nationwide championship video games have averaged 3 hours, 33 minutes. Final month’s Ohio State-Notre Dame championship sport lasted 3 hours, 20 minutes.

“It simply felt prefer it was longer,” mentioned an trade supply. “It was TV, it was not the sport itself. That is what pays everyone’s wage … Intrinsically, the sport will not be getting longer. What’s inflicting the length? No person likes to say this however you already know it, it is the media timeouts.”

Consider TV scores any means you need on this dialogue. Rankings for the CFP Nationwide Championship have been down 12% from the earlier season. General, scores for the championship sport have been uneven. Throughout the season, nonetheless, the variety of complete viewers attracting a minimum of 5 million, seven million, 10 million, 15 million and 20 million viewers all elevated, based on Soccer Scoop. 

Perhaps we should always harken again to what former Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith mentioned years in the past: Faculty soccer is mainly resistant to sport size fatigue due to their ardour. Followers arrive at 7 a.m. for a 3:30 p.m. ET sport “they usually do not depart early.”

NFL kickoff guidelines!

The NCAA and its members do not get credit score for a lot today. However decreases in harm charges have been so dramatic recently — particularly on kickoffs and punts — that the NCAA Guidelines Committee could have an fascinating choice to make: whether or not to undertake the NFL kickoff rule. 

The so-called “Dynamic Kickoff Rule” has led to a dramatic lower in accidents. The NFL mentioned concussions on such performs have been down 43% in comparison with 2021-2023. What’s left for the NCAA Soccer Guidelines Committee to proceed contemplating this week is whether or not an analogous alteration could be strategically and aesthetically pleasing in Division I. 

“That is precisely [right],” NCAA secretary guidelines editor Steve Shaw informed CBS Sports activities. “There’s not a compelling drive that we’ve to get rid of our kickoff.”

The NFL change was maybe probably the most vital in kickoff historical past. Critics pointed to its lack of motion, however the dynamic kickoff rule did create extra returns. Virtually a 3rd of kickoffs have been returned in 2024 in comparison with 21.8% in 2023. The share of kickoffs have elevated every of the final six years. In 2024, that determine surpassed 50%. 

Final season, the typical of two.99 kickoff returns per sport have been the very best since 2016; the 2023 common of 1.91 was the bottom ever. The NFL is already occupied with tweaking its guidelines to create extra returns. 

Starting in 2012, The NCAA started addressing harm issues when kickoffs have been moved from the 30 to the 35, thus lessening the probability of a return. Starting in 2018, gamers may get a touchback by truthful catching the ball contained in the 25. Different changes have been made, comparable to eliminating the blindside block and wedge-buster blocking. 

Shaw does not have the ultimate numbers, however he will probably be armed with tendencies that point out it could lastly be safer to play on a kickoff staff than run a play from scrimmage. That ought to make sense as a result of there are fewer kicks per sport (about 11) in comparison with these 175 mixed performs per sport. However kickoff harm charges have been greater than scrimmage performs. 

The maths says these kickoffs make up 6.3% of all performs. Logic dictates the harm on these performs, then, must be round that quantity. Shaw believes after consulting with the Datalys Middle for Sports activities Damage Analysis, that agency’s NCAA Damage Surveillance Program will present a lower. 

All that will probably be left for the principles committee is to resolve whether or not that distinctive NFL kickoff is strategically and aesthetically pleasing sufficient for faculty. 

Parity? Bought your parity proper right here

Do not name me an apologist for the continuing Massive Ten-SEC takeover, as a result of there was a little bit of nationwide championship parity recently: 

• 2024 — Ohio State
• 2023 — Michigan
• 2022 — Georgia
• 2021 — Georgia
• 2020 — Alabama
• 2019 — LSU
• 2018 — Clemson
• 2017 — Alabama
• 2016 — Clemson
• 2015 — Alabama
• 2014 — Ohio State
• 2013 — Florida State

That is seven completely different champions within the final 12 years. Throughout that point interval above, 23 groups have crammed the 54 accessible postseason spots.

Within the final six years, 5 groups have received all of it (Ohio State, Michigan, Georgia, Alabama, LSU). That is the very best quantity in a six-year span since 2002-2007, when seven groups received (LSU and USC break up in 2003). 

Since 2001,16 completely different groups received titles. That looks as if rather a lot to me. 

Concentrating on penalties are working

If the concept of concentrating on penalties is to vary conduct, it is labored. 

For the fourth consecutive season, common concentrating on calls per play have decreased or stayed the identical. In 2004, it was 0.14 calls per sport (124 concentrating on penalties in 863 video games), or one each seven video games. 

That is why it doesn’t matter what your opinion of the appliance of the rule, the NCAA is not going to backtrack on concentrating on. 

“We won’t again away from concentrating on. We simply cannot,” Shaw mentioned.  

A four-year research by the Pac-12 that concluded in 2022 nonetheless resonates. It discovered {that a} participant was 40 instances extra prone to undergo a concussion if a concentrating on penalty was known as. If that decision was upheld, he was 49 instances extra prone to be concussed. 

Numbers to know

• Scoring: 28.01 per sport, second lowest since 2010 (file: 30.08, 2016).
• Passing completion share: 61.4%, third-highest ever (file: 61.5, 2021).
• Passing yards per sport: 227.1, lowest since 2010 (file: 238.3, 2012).
• Move makes an attempt per sport: 30.71, lowest since 2009 (file: 33.6, 2007).
• Completions per sport: 18.86, lowest since 2018 (file: 19.8, 2012).
• Whole offense per staff: 386.73, breaking a five-year decline however the second-lowest since 2010 (file: 417.1, 2016).
• Yards per rush: 4.42, highest since 2019 and eighth highest all-time (file: 4.59, 2016).

Be aware: The all-time data for yards per rush, passing yards per sport, complete offense and scoring have all been set since 2012. 

• Heisman winner Travis Hunter performed 1,443 complete snaps. That is 16 snaps lower than Houston as a staff performed all season offensively and defensively. 
• Miami has nonetheless solely received one bowl sport since 2006. It’s 1-12 within the postseason in that span.
• Ole Miss was the one staff to common greater than 10 yards per cross try. The final time there have been fewer was 2015 when there have been none. 
• Solely two playoff groups completed within the high 14 in explosive performs (20-plus yards): No. 1 Texas and No. 9 Penn State 
• Utilizing Professional Soccer Focus as a information, Ohio State has the 2 finest returning gamers subsequent season – receiver Jeremiah Smith and defensive again Caleb Downs. Smith simply had probably the greatest freshman seasons of all time by a receiver. Downs would possibly enter 2025 because the nation’s finest defensive participant.
• Bowling Inexperienced’s Harold Fannin Jr. broke the tight finish file for catches (117) and yards (1,555).
• In falling simply wanting Barry Sanders’ single-season file, Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty turned the primary 2,000-yard rusher since 2019. He was the primary from the Group of 5 since San Diego State’s Rashaad Penny in 2017. 

One ultimate indignity 

By making a championship run, Ohio State (now No. 1 at .735) surpassed Michigan (No. 2 at .733) because the winningest staff by share in historical past. The spots stay flipped in all-time victories: Michigan, 1,012; Ohio State, 978.