You need only look at the University of Hawaii’s future nonconference schedules to see where the Rainbow Warriors line up in college football’s hottest debate of the moment — the proposed defensive substitution rule.
With Washington, Oregon State and Colorado in 2014, Wisconsin and Ohio State in 2015 and Michigan in 2016, there should be little wonder why the ‘Bows don’t want the NCAA to take the air out of the ball.
If Alabama, Arkansas and a lot of your throwback teams have their way, the 2014 rules will require a 10-second wait before each play is run except during the final two minutes of each half in order to allow for defensive substitutions.
Under the proposal that goes to the rule oversight committee for ratification in two weeks, any play that starts prior to the 29-second point (on the 40 second clock) would incur a five-yard penalty for, get this, delay of game. Gotta love the twisted reasoning there.
Currently, defenses are not assured of being able to substitute unless the offense makes a change first.
That has given underdogs who embrace hurry-up offenses a way to whittle the odds a little against physically stronger, deeper opponents who can’t rush in replacements from the bench.
Ostensibly, they tell us, the rule change is being considered for safety’s sake, since the proliferation of fast-paced offenses has allowed teams to run more plays. Despite several years of the hurry-up implementation, however, there are no injury statistics being offered. And if the players are so dangerously worn down, wouldn’t the final two minutes of each half be the most telling? Nor is anybody talking about cutting back the number of games.
Instead, it is a poorly kept secret that what Auburn and Texas A&M have done in the Southeastern Conference and what Ohio State or Oregon might be able to do if they reach a national title playoff, is keeping Alabama’s Nick Saban, Arkansas’ Bret Bielema and other grind-it-out adherents up nights.
Alabama, according to an NCAA report, ran an average of 63.5 offensive plays per game last year and played defense on just 59.3, a slow, methodical pace that suited the Crimson Tide. Meanwhile, Texas A&M was running 73.4 offensive plays per game and Auburn 72.4.
While the big boys trade words and go about their behind-the-scenes machinations, the ‘Bows are more than a casual observer on the issue.
UH produced 78.9 offensive plays per game last season on average, a significant number even when you figure in the two overtime contests. By way of comparison, UH averaged 72.4 offensive plays per game in the 2007 Sugar Bowl campaign, also with two overtime appearances.
The additional offensive opportunities in 2013 helped keep the ‘Bows in several games to the end, and it doubtlessly would not have been such a bitter end had UH been able to cut down on debilitating turnovers and penalties. Making the most of them, and stopping somebody else on third down, will be the challenge in 2014.
Given the nonconference gauntlet that awaits UH, the ‘Bows will need every offensive shot they can get.
Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820
