Football rules changes to watch for this fall

USA TODAY Sports

From toughening rules against targeting defenseless opponents to timing rules that could have a big effect on late-game strategy, there are plenty of changes to watch for on the college football field for the 2013 season.

Courtesy of Rogers Redding, national coordinator of College Football Officiating, and the National Football Foundation, eight need-to-know rules changes:

1. Targeting fouls: automatic ejection part I

Players will automatically be tossed for targeting fouls, including targeting and initiating contact with the crown of the helmet, and targeting and initiating contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent with the helmet, forearm, elbow or shoulder. The foul itself has not changed. These plays have been subject to penalty since 2008, but the penalty has been stiffened to include automatic ejection plus the 15-yard penalty. The ejection can be overturned by replay review. However, even if the ejection is overturned, the penalty still will be marked off.

2. Targeting fouls: automatic ejection, part II

A player is at great risk of being ejected for a launch (leaving his feet to attack an opponent by an upward and forward thrust of the body to make contact in the head or neck area); a crouch (followed by an upward and forward thrust to attack with contact at the head or neck area); leading (with helmet, forearm, fist, hand or elbow to attack with contact at the head or neck area); or lowering (the head before attacking by initiating contact with the crown of the helmet). Should a player be ejected in the second half or overtime, he also is suspended for the first half of the next game.

"We want to protect the game and to help reduce critical injuries with this message: play the game hard but stay away from serious fouls," said Redding in a National Football Foundation news release. "By making changes, we are signaling that the safety of the student-athlete stands at the very top of our list of priorities. The clear intent is to change player behavior."

3. Offensive blocking below the waist

The rule establishes a zone for the offense that extends 7 yards on either side of the snapper toward each sideline and goes 5 yards into the defensive secondary and in the other direction all the way to the offensive team's end line. Within this zone, an offensive back who is stationary inside the tackle box and an offensive lineman inside the 7-yard zone may legally block below the waist until the ball has left the zone. Everyone else on the offensive team may legally block below the waist only if the block is clearly to the front of the opponent. This only-from-the-front rule also holds true for everyone on the offensive team once the ball has left the zone. In addition, no one on the offense is allowed to block below the waist if the block is directed toward his own end line.

4. Expansion of the 10-second runoff

If a player is injured within the last minute of a half, and this is the only reason for stopping the clock, the opponent may choose to have 10 seconds subtracted from the game clock. The injured player's team can preserve the 10 seconds by using a timeout.

5. A player may remain in the game via a timeout after his helmet comes off

The rule requiring a player to leave the game for one down if his helmet comes off has been modified to allow a player to remain in the game if his team is granted a charged timeout to adjust the helmet. As before, if a player's helmet comes off as the result of a foul (for example, a face mask penalty), the player does not have to leave the game.

6. Minimum time to spike the ball

Teams will need a minimum of three seconds from the referee's signal to "spike" the ball to allow for another play at the end of a half. Teams must still execute the spike, but they will have a reasonable opportunity for another play. If the clock shows one or two seconds, a team will only have enough time to run a play without first spiking the ball.

7. Changing jersey numbers during a game

If a team wants to use a player at different positions during the game, and the player needs to change jersey numbers, the player must report to the referee who will in turn announce the change. In addition, two players who play the same position at different times in the game may not wear the same number during the game. For example, two quarterbacks may not both wear No. 12.

8. Uniform numerals must contrast with the color of the jersey

The color of the jersey number itself must be clearly and obviously in contrast with the jersey, regardless of any border around the number. For example, teams will not be allowed to wear black numbers on black jerseys with a border of a bright color around the numeral; it must clearly contrast with the jersey in and of itself.