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Nick Saban and Gus Malzahn are on opposite sides of the tempo debate in college football. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

AUBURN, Alabama -- Gus Malzahn wants proof.

The Auburn coach is leading a charge combating the NCAA Football Rules Committee, which he believes has included fundamental flaw in a rule proposal that will require offenses to wait 10 seconds before snapping the football.

It's a non-rule change year in the NCAA, which means the only proposals that can be made for the 2014 season must relate to safety concerns.

"Once again, I don't think we need to lose sight of the fact that the only way you can change a rule is the health and safety of our players," Malzahn said Tuesday. "And it's got to be documented, and there's got to be proof. And there's not."

Malzahn has reached out to the chairman of the committee, Air Force coach Troy Calhoun, "numerous times" since Thursday to share his side of the argument. Malzahn is one of many coaches utilizing hurry-up offenses that will have to adapt under the rule if it is passed by the Rules Oversight Committee on March 6.

Malzahn wants the NCAA to table the proposal until 2015, which would provide supporters and critics to prepare arguments and gather data before voting. Malzahn is hopeful the NCAA will follow through and comply before March 6.

"I would like to think that it wouldn't (pass)," Malzahn said. "I'm just going to do everything in my power the right way to stand up."

Malzahn has reached out to several like-minded coaches in the days since the rule proposal was announced Feb. 12. Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin and Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze have had discussions with Malzahn, but he has not reached out to Alabama's Nick Saban and Arkansas' Bret Bielema.

Bielema and Saban reportedly met with the committee last week and discussed their shared desire to implement the rule.

"I was definitely caught off guard," said Malzahn, "but the bottom line is gathering the facts."

Calhoun has cited player safety for the rule, but the NCAA has been unable to provide documented proof that connects hurry-up offenses to an increase in injuries.

"This rules change is being made to enhance student-athlete safety by guaranteeing a small window for both teams to substitute," Calhoun said last week. "As the average number of plays per game has increased, this issue has been discussed with greater frequency by the committee in recent years and we felt like it was time to act in the interests of protecting our student-athletes."

Calhound started backtracking shortly after Malzahn's comments to local reporters Tuesday.

"If (safety reasons are) speculative, (it) shouldn't be a rule," Calhoun told ESPN's Brett McMurphy.



Malzahn has no plans to change his hurry-up, no-huddle offense as the Tigers quickly approach the start of spring practices. The Tigers' offense, while heavily focused on running plays, was one of the fastest and most productive in the SEC in 2013.

"I've been running a fast-paced offense since 1997," Malzahn said. "I've never felt like on either side that it was a health and safety issue -- on offense or the other side."

The Tigers ran 80 plays or more in their final two games, including the BCS National Championship. Still, the offense rarely snapped the ball within the first 10 seconds of the 40-second play clock.

Auburn ran two plays with 30 seconds or more left on the clock in the BCS National Championship. The Tigers also ran two plays with 30 seconds or more remaining on the play clock against Arkansas.

"It changes the dynamics of traditional football in a lot more ways than anyone would think," Malzahn said.

The rule will allow teams to snap the ball with 30 seconds or more remaining on the play clock during the last two minutes of each half. Teams trailing and in need of quick scores to get back in the game with five minutes or more remaining would be handcuffed by the new rule, Malzahn argues.

He also believes quarterbacks will have to be coached differently, and many teams will be too concerned with being penalized five yards for breaking the rule, which would force teams to wait to snap until 25 seconds or less.

Malzahn coaches his quarterbacks to snap the ball within 5 seconds of its placement by the referee.

"I am first and most concerned about player's safety and I've always been," Malzahn said. "We play in a very violent game, but as far as this particular rule with no evidence I disagree."