2013 NCAA MEN’S LACROSSE RULES COMMITTEE

PRESEASON GUIDANCE AND CLARIFICAITONS

 2/1/13

            I.                   Introduction. The NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Rules Committee worked diligently to put forward a package of proposals to essentially accomplish one thing: return the game to its rightful home as the fastest game on two feet. Coaches, players and officials approaching the 2013 season must keep that as our guiding principle. It is understood by the committee that all participants have a role to play here and there will be some growing pains as our new rules are implemented. The bottom line is that the committee strongly feels the changes will improve the game and bring back the speed and skill we want to showcase.

             II.                Clarifications.

       1)      Crosse specifications.

 a.      Altering the stick. It has come to the committee’s attention that players involved in facing off are sawing the head of the crosse at the throat, which enables the player’s hand to be closer to the ball. This altering of the crosse is illegal by rule: “A crosse that has been altered in such a way as to give an advantage to an individual is illegal.” The penalty for violation of this rule is a three-minute non-releasable penalty. There is no warning to the player or team for this type of alteration.

 b.      Strings hanging longer than two inches.If detected, officials shall instruct players to cut the strings to the proper length. This provides players an opportunity to correct their sticks without penalty. If a player does not correct the issue, a one-minute non-releasable penalty shall be assessed for unsportsmanlike conduct.

c.       Tape on the stick. As the rule states, no player (except for the goalkeeper) may have any tape touching the plastic of the crosse. Additionally, the committee is clarifying what the requirements faceoff players have for taping: From the throat of the crosse to six inches down the crosse, there must be a single-wrap of a contrasting color tape. The tape must contrast the glove and crosse. For example, a player that has a white crosse, silver stick and red gloves must use a contrasting tape color to all three pieces of equipment. For any non-faceoff players, these rules do not apply and traditional taping methods continue to be legal.

2)      Stick Checks. The committee has made two clarifications to the stick check procedures:

a.      Penalty clarification. In some early documentation, there was confusion on the penalty for a violation of the stick check procedure. The penalty for the ball not freely coming out of the crosse for the field tests is a three-minute, non-releasable foul.

b.      Back of stick check. Based on coach and official’s feedback from fall practices, the committee believes that the check on the back of the stick is no longer necessary. Other changes that have been implemented have addressed the issues with stringing the stick and therefore the committee believes the check on the back of the stick is no longer needed. Further, this check could eliminate sticks from play that otherwise are legal. If the ball becomes lodged in the back of the stick during play and does not come out quickly (with one shake of the stick), it is considered withholding and a change of possession.

      3)      Restarting play – philosophy. The new rules for restarting play are intended to directly quicken the pace of play. The new rules call still call for the defender to give the team in possession space when restarting play. The restart mechanic is critical to the quickening of the game. Every effort should be made to properly communicate to coaches and officials the intentions of the various restarts along with the burdens on both the offensive and defensive players.

 To clarify, it is not the proper officiating mechanic to think about disadvantaging the defender. Once the player in possession has established himself in the field of play, the whistle must be blown immediately. There is no wording in the rules on restarts regarding disadvantaging the defense. If the offensive player is on the move with the ball, the whistle should be blown immediately to initiate play.

a)      Out of bounds restarts. The player that is awarded the ball must establish both possession of the ball and position in bounds with his feet. Once this has occurred, the whistle should be blown for restart. The player stepping on to the field should not be allowed a full free run from out of bounds; rather, the player must possess a ball and step in to the field of play to establish in bounds position. The player does not have to be at a complete stop, although he may be. The restart in most situations will be akin to a rolling stop when driving; analogous to slowing at a stop sign, and then accelerating through the intersection, a player should step in to the field and receive a whistle to accelerate back in to play.

b)      Open field restarts. The defending player is required to provide a 5-yard cushion to the player in possession, or get out of the way. If the person picking up the ball is on a direct path to the goal, the burden is on the defender to gain the appropriate space (5-yards) or vacate his space in the offensive path up the field. On the other hand, if the ball carrier goes off path to intentionally draw contact, then the burden is not on the defender and play should continue. Offensive players who choose a path that takes them into a defending player forfeit the right to have a 5-yard buffer.

      4)      General questions about restarting play. Several questions have come up about the quick restart:

Question: What happens when the ball goes out of bounds near the substitution area?

Answer: The ball shall be restarted in the field of play, but at least five yards from the substitution area.

Question: Can officials delay the restart?

Answer: If the officials need to clarify a ruling with the crew, there is flexibility for the officials to delay the restart. This allowance should be rare and only when a clarification is needed that might impact play immediately (e.g., possession, crease call, etc.).

Question: On a play where the ball stays in bounds and there will be a quick restart, can a ball from off of the field of play be used for the restart?

Answer: No. Unless the ball clearly goes out of play (e.g., shot, out of bounds, etc.).

Question: Does a player need to come to a complete stop before starting play?

Answer: No. These situations were covered in the preseason video.

      5)      Stalling/Timer On situations. The new stalling procedure has also created several questions:

 Question: Would a shot taken from behind the goal cage satisfy the timer on criteria?

Answer: Unless that shot results in a goal, the answer is no. A shot must be taken at or above the goal line extended to satisfy the criteria.

 New Approved Ruling: A1 feeds the ball inside and the ball goes through towards the midline as the “Timer On” expires. This is a play-on situation. If Team A gains possession, it shall be an immediate whistle. Ball awarded to Team B at spot where whistle blew. If Team B gains possession, continue play.

 New Approved Ruling: As game time is expiring, Team A has the lead and is in possession in offensive half of field. Player A1 throws the ball back to teammate A2 deep in defensive half of field. As the “Timer On” expires, A2 throws ball back down to offensive half of field. Mechanic: Immediate whistle to stop clock. Ball awarded to Team B at spot when whistle was sounded. This eliminates a significant advantage gained by Team A at a critical time in the game.

       6)      Slow whistle clarification. In some areas of the new rules book, the attack area was inadvertently In these situations, the slow whistle shall continue until:

1)      The offending team gains possession;

2)      The ball goes out of bounds; or

3)      The offended team commits a violation.

     7)      Cross-check guidance. Several coaches and officials have requested clarification about the committee’s point of emphasis on cross-checking.

 a)      Any thrusting action with the crosse must be a penalty. This does not include a gloved hand.

b)      Equal pressure is not a penalty by itself and is an important part of defensive technique.

c)      For a penalty to be called in equal pressure situations it must be clear, flagrant and a distinct advantage must be gained by this action.

d)     The penalty for this is a one-minute releasable penalty, unless it is in the head and neck area, which make it a one- to five-minute non-releasable penalty.

      8)      Clearing situation. In some cases, there has been confusion about transition situations and when the clearing aspect ends. Once a team gains possession anywhere on the field, that team has 30 seconds to gain the attack area. Once the team gains the attack area, if the ball returns to that team’s defensive end (with the exception of a deflection by the opposing team or a shot off of the goal pipe), the 30-second “Timer On” call shall occur. The only exception to this policy is if either team is man up or man down. The number of players involved in the transition play is irrelevant.

           III.             Conclusion. The committee appreciates your attention to these clarifications and for your support of the new rules. Please continue to contact us with feedback and we will continue to refine things as needed. We plan to update the online rules book as soon as possible, but these new clarifications should be used immediately.

Sunday, January 27, 2013 is the date for the COC mandatory rules clinic to be held this year at Endicott College from 8:30 to 12:30.  This year's clinic will probably run the full allotted time as there are many rule changes that have to get covered, and I am sure that many questions will be generated.  The hot topics for the clinic will be:

1) 3 violations during the face-off, in a half, will result in a 30 second penalty

2) No sideline horn for substitutions.  This will create a very fast pace to the game

3) No Privleges for the goalie to return to his crease

4) "Timer On" procedure.  When teams are stalling, the officials will use their timing devices to have the team get a shot on goal off before 30 seconds expire.

5) During a man-down face-off, you are not allowed to bring an attack player up to the wing area for the face-off.

These are just a few of the new changes.  Check back after Sunday, and check the ZLAX Pubs tab, for the Power Point Presentation from the clinic.

NCAA RULES VIDEO RECAP:

Substitutions:  With no more horns, all subs will be made on the fly through the new extended box that runs 20 yards down the middle of the sideline. The only subs not on the fly will follow goals, timeouts, or after penalties so speciality teams can come on and off the field.

Face-Offs: As expected, one of the more controversial new edicts required some of the most expansive and detailed explanations. Face-off men need to have tape now below the throat of their sticks on the shaft so that there is a clear color contrast for a ref to see the glove, shaft and head, so that a player cannot touch the plastic. Touching the plastic is a violation. Other violations include jumping early, pinning an opponents stick, head or body with your stick, head or body, or not properly aligning for the face-off. If a face-off man accrues three violations, a 30-second penalty is enforced, but it is served by the team's In-Home, not the face-off man (unless of course, he's the In-Home). If a wing goes early, that counts towards the three violations. If a wing or face-off man has a procedural call not related to the draw, such as a loose ball push, that doesn't count towards the three violations. It was unclear when that three-violation count resets, or if it does, during a game.

One point that will likely lead to calls and sideline frustration will be the enforcement of a 5-yard cushion after a face-off violation. Last season, if a face-off man jumped or earned a call on a draw, he had to leave the field immediately. He can stay on now, but with faster restarts, his opposing face-off man who was just awarded the ball can pick it up and go quickly. So if the violating face-off player doesn't immediately drop back and give the 5-yard cushion needed for a restart, instead trying to defend the ball carrier, he will be flagged for delay of game.

Restarts: Speaking of restarts, anecdotal evidence from this fall seems to prove the restarts will lead to faster play as there will be little down time since players can quickly pick up the ball and go. But that rule is more nuanced than it seems as well. If the offense is called for a procedure issue that turns the ball over to the defense, the defense can immediately pick it up and on the whistle start to clear. Offensive players riding the man with the ball will have to provide the 5-yard cushion, but the defender with the ball does not have to take it outside the box or to any specific spot to restart play. In general restarts will be more lax about where exactly they start on the field, as the emphasis will be on getting going quickly. But for offensive restarts, like a shot backed up out of bounds, the offensive player can grab a ball quickly, but he can't come sprinting back onto the field with a full head of steam. He has to pause and reestablish himself inbounds, then go, making it not much different from current restarts. Through most of the fall players seemed to charge back onto the field with a running start, which flies in the face of the explained provision, so seeing how that is cleaned up come the spring should be interesting. Also, refs have been told to push for faster play, but still to take time to occasionally group and confer if a play or call deserves further scrutiny.

Stalling and the 30-Second Shot Clock: Easily the most noticeable and radical new rule change, the video attempted to break down what is likely to be a complicated and nuanced application of the new 30-second shot clock that runs during a stall warning. Some clarifications, as best as they could be interpreted from the video:
— The clock will run as a 20-second timer on the referee's belt that cannot be paused, only started and reset. The last 10 seconds will be a referee's hand count, which can be paused.
— When a stall warning is given, the referees will make the typical, L-shaped hand signal, but the referee controlling the timer will now yell “Timer On!” to signify the application of the shot clock.
— If an offensive team has the ball in the box but the defense is not attempting to play or apply pressure, the offense will not be called for stalling even if they are not attacking the goal.
— If the offensive team has the ball outside the box or behind the goal, they can be called for a stall even if the defense is not actively pursuing.
— Penalties influence the timing of the clock. If the defensive team is called for a procedure penalty (loose ball push or hold, etc.) that does not draw a flag but does draw a whistle, when play resumes the shot clock is reset. If a personal foul involving a flag is called, the clock is reset when the flag is thrown.
— If the defense calls timeout, the shot clock is reset.
— If the offense calls a time out with more than 10 seconds left, the belt timer continues to run. When it expires, play resumes out of the timeout with the 10-second hand count starting. If the offense calls timeout with fewer than 10-seconds left, the referee running the hand count can pause where he is and resume the count when play starts out of the time out.
— If there is a stoppage in play for a shot or similar offensive restart, the 20-second timer does not pause, it continues to run. The hand count can be paused and restarted though for such calls.
— No team will be called for a stall, and thus be under the scrutiny of the shot clock, during man-up or man-down situations.

Cross Checks and Holds: This is a point of emphasis this year, but the video did little to clear the air. Using clips from previous seasons' games examples of blatant cross checks were highlighted. But the more nuanced calls were left ambiguous — highlighted but not delineated as being legal or illegal according to the new points of emphasis. “Equal pressure” is legal, but a more exact definition of that remains to be clarified, likely leaving it another judgment call.

Head and Neck Contact: Another big point of emphasis will be on head hits, but again the lack of clear explanation as to what is or isn't a dirty shot will likely breed controversy during the season. One thing seemed clear though, intent does not matter as much as result. “Deliberate” hits to the head or neck, particularly to defenseless players or late, will be called as they always were, but with particular scrutiny. Penalties will be more harshly enforced, with the prospect of ejection looming over such bombastic hits. But if a player did not mean to “take someone's head off,” but still wound up catching a player high, that too will be called. Refs have also been instructed to police players for having their chin straps completely buckled and their mouthpieces in. The impression was left that much like in current football, safety trumps all other concerns; the health of the players absorbing the blows will be protected above the legality of the hit. It's better to be safe than sorry.

The video showed several big hits from the past few seasons, highlighting ones that were blatantly illegal because of their timing (often late or behind the play) or alignment (players lunging at a head or lining a guy up and finishing high), but also showing hits that were square and legal, or at least intended on being, but because they finished high, would be flagged now. Some of the carnage was fairly jarring.

“I thought one of those players was dead,” said Warren Kimber, NCAA supervisor of officials, speaking about being at the games for some of those big hits. “Hits to the head are the most important aspect of the physical game.”

Kimber said the new penalties would range from one minute to expulsion. He also issued a dire warning for officials. If a big hit to the head occurs in a game, and a ref does not throw the flag and administer a proper penalty, when Kimber reviews the film if he thinks the ref erred, Kimber will send that official a written reprimand, and that official will move to the bottom of the list for postseason work.

Sideline Behavior: Another big point of emphasis this year will be decorum on the sideline. As the game has populated television more, and those broadcasts have become more intimate, some of the ugliness of sideline interaction has become increasingly exposed, and it seems the NCAA wants to nip that in the bud.

“The F-word is out of our game at the first face-off in February,” Kimber said. Language will surely be policed, though without specifics as to who can or can't talk to the ref, what will be considered going over the line, and what particular language is not allowed, other than obviously highlighting the elimination of “the F-word.” Kimber's tone seemed serious and frustrated, as he likely has heard some of the concern over the past two season of the bad impression being made by audible foul language at games and some of the more demonstrative sideline antics as coaches and benches argue with referees.

As Kimber related an old saying, “if you can't speak without the F-word, you can't speak.”