Two influential bodies have engaged in preliminary conversations about eliminating kickoffs from college football, CBS Sports reports.
Player safety is at the center of the discussion.
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The American Football Coaches Association's (AFCA) board of trustees and the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee are both studying injury data as it relates to kickoffs. Injuries are believed to occur at a higher rate during kickoffs than on any other type of play in football.
"I don't think there is any doubt it is the most dangerous play in the game," Big 12 commissioner and oversight committee chair Bob Bowlsby said. "How much that's the case and how we can fix it is unknown."
A rule change is not likely until after the 2017 season, and removing kickoffs has not been formally discussed by the NCAA rules committee, according to the report.
Clearly, though, there is sentiment for enacting such a change.
"I'm excited we're starting to have this discussion," said AFCA executive director Todd Berry. "It looks like the data is skewed where we have more injuries on that play. If that's the case, we have to look at eliminating the play, modifying the play, change blocking schemes."