Jan 1, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Baylor Bears defensive end Shawn Oakman (2) celebrates his sack of Michigan State Spartans quarterback Connor Cook (18) during the first half in the 2015 Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

No longer will we be seeing players wear menacing face masks on the football field.

While the NFL had strict uniform and helmet policies, college football did not and that’s what made it so great.

Now, the helmets in college football can no longer have the sweet menacing looking face masks that defensive players wear while on the field.

The NCAA has officially banned “overbuilt” face masks, which are face masks that cover a majority of the face and look like something that an executioner from way back when would wear.

There’s multiple reasons for the ban of the helmets, which include keeping the classic look, but more logical reasons such as injury prevention.

SEC coordinator of officials Steve Shaw explained the reasons for the removal of the helmets.

The first reason, the integrity of the helmet is almost ridiculous, because the helmets were cool and fun to see on the field. The integrity of the helmet is kind of like the unwritten rules of baseball that always seem to create problems.

However, the injury aspects listed afterward are very real and certainly reasonable decisions for getting rid of the helmet. With the importance placed on head safety in football, a heavier helmet bringing the player’s head down, leaves the possibility for dangerous injuries out on the field. While injury is always a concern, eliminating anything that can further lead to it is probably a good idea.

As for the last one, the thought of snagging a finger in a helmet is cringe worthy and one not fun to think about. Sure, the regular helmets have faults of their own, but if they can lead to safety on the field and keep everyone’s favorite players on the field, it makes sense to stick with those helmets.

[H/T: AJC]