Sports

Change in Illegal Man Downfield Rule Could Boost Defenses

Published

11 years ago

February 13, 2015

In this Nov. 30, 2013, file photo, Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall, left, calls a play in the huddle during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Alabama in Auburn, Ala. Auburn tied the score late in the fourth quarter when Nick Marshall flipped a pass to Sammie Coates over a defense that was drawn in by a run blocking offensive line. The NCAA rules committee has proposed changing the illegal man downfield penalty, shortening the distance lineman can move down field before the ball is thrown, which matches the NFL rule. (AP Photo/Butch Dill, File)

RALPH D. RUSSO, AP College Football Writer

The play still annoys many Alabama fans who are convinced it was illegal. No, not the Kick-Six that Auburn used to beat the Crimson Tide on the last play of the 2013 Iron Bowl. It was the touchdown the Tigers scored before the famous missed field goal that really burns ‘Bama fans.

Auburn tied the score late in the fourth quarter when Nick Marshall flipped a pass to Sammie Coates over a defense that was drawn in by a run-blocking offensive line. A couple of Auburn linemen appear to have strayed down the field a bit farther than the 3 yards allowed on the play, but it wasn’t called and the rest is history.

Starting next season, offenses that try to confuse defenses by throwing behind run-blocking lines could have less room to work their games of deception.

The NCAA rules committee has proposed changing the illegal man downfield penalty — Rule 7, Article 10 in the NCAA book — shortening the distance linemen can move downfield before the ball is thrown to 1 yard, which matches the NFL rule.

“I think it’s a rule that the defensive coaches are going to be very excited about,” Penn State defensive coordinator Bob Shoop said Thursday. “Specifically, the ones that are keying hard on the offensive line for their run-pass reads. I think that’s a big one right there for them.”

And, of course, offensive coaches — who fought off a proposal by the rules committee to slow down up-tempo attacks last year — see it differently.

“It’s the continuation of a trend where defensive people try to change the rules rather than try to stop the advances in offense,” said new Montana coach Bob Stitt, who used spread schemes at Division II Colorado School of Mines that were considered among the most creative in college football.

NCAA coordinator of officials Rogers Redding said Wednesday the proposal was made because it was difficult for officials to determine if a lineman had gone past the 3-yard limit before a pass was released.

The proposal still needs to be approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel in March. If it does — and most do — the change would go into effect next season.

“It definitely will affect offenses that are trying to throw the ball downfield while the box is blocking run with pop passes,” Stitt said.

Play-action passes have been a part of football for decades. Fake a handoff, have the offensive linemen block as it is a running play, then throw a pass over a defense playing run.

The concept has evolved with the rise of spread offenses, said Chris Brown, the author of “The Essential Smart Football.”

It started with plays that could be changed at the line to quick screen passes behind run-blocking lines and that led to so-called packaged plays.

“Five, six, seven years ago coaches started realizing we can actually tell our linemen to just run block, block a run play, and give the quarterbacks the option to not just handoff or throw a screen, he can also maybe throw the ball down the field,” Brown said.

Allowing linemen to drift 3 yards from the line of scrimmage provided a lot of time for a quarterback to make a decision.

“As coaches started experimenting with this stuff they noticed it really started messing with defenses,” Brown said.

To say the least.

“Once you get down to a certain point, I mean, come on, it’s not even fair,” Oklahoma defensive coordinator Mike Stoops told The Oklahoman after the Sooners lost to Kansas State in October and allowed a 62-yard pop pass for a touchdown to Wildcats fullback Glenn Gronkowski. “You’ve got offensive linemen running down the field and they’re throwing the ball. That’s not the way football was meant to be played.”

Stitt said the number of missed penalties for illegal man downfield gets exaggerated — and it wasn’t enough to justify changing the rule.

“We throw passes off of runs a lot like that, and I bet when we stopped the tape we might have been illegal two or three times all season,” he said.

Illegal man downfield will still be a tough call for officials. And a change in the rule won’t cause Stitt, Auburn’s Gus Malzahn, Baylor’s Art Briles, Arizona’s Rich Rodriguez and the dozens of other coaches running spread offenses to tear up their playbooks.

“I don’t think these plays are going away and I don’t think they should go away. And you see them in the NFL where the rules are pretty strict,” Brown said. “But I think it will get rid of what I call the broken video game plays, where there is a guy wide open and it looks like the defenders are broken game logic.”

___

Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP

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Sale of Coliseum to African American Developers Moves Toward Completion

The deal includes the sale of the Oakland Arena to an unidentified third-party buyer for no less than $100 million, which Bobbitt said was one of the most important aspects of the site’s future redevelopment.

Published

2 weeks ago

June 16, 2026

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The deal includes the sale of the Oakland Arena to an unidentified third-party buyer for no less than $100 million, which Bobbitt said was one of the most important aspects of the site’s future redevelopment.

‘This is on the precipice of actually occurring,’ said Ray Bobbitt, buyers’ representative

By Post Staff

After many months of complex negotiations, the Oakland Coliseum development deal is finally nearing an agreement that will open the way for new owners – the African Americans Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG) – to revitalize the sports complex and the Hegenberger Corridor in East Oakland.

On May 28, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a non-binding agreement to dispose of the County’s portion of the complex for $115 million in a deal with AASEG, with a closing date set for June 30.

“People are seeing that this is on the precipice of actually occurring,” said Ray Bobbitt, founder of the AASEG and an East Oakland native. “People feel that this needs to happen for Oakland, for East Oakland in particular,” Bobbitt said, as reported in the East Bay Times.

The agreement would transfer ownership of the 112-acre Coliseum complex property, which was owned 50-50 by Alameda County and the City of Oakland, to Oakland Acquisition Company, which is AASEG’s real estate wing.

The County’s approval marks an important step in the sale of the property, even though concerns about environmental liability remain. Under the terms of the non-binding agreement, the county will pay $115 million to Coliseum Way Partners, the corporate entity of the Oakland Athletics that had previously purchased the county’s half of the property for $85 million.

AASEG will then pay $115 million to the County in three annual payments, with 5% annual interest paid on any outstanding balance, according to the term sheet.

AASEG already negotiated a purchase of the city’s half of the property for $125 million in 2025, awaiting the sale of the county’s half.

A strong supporter of the sale, Supervisor Nate Miley said he was not “breaking out the champagne” until the sale was final. This is not perfect, but it is good.

“It’s good because the County ends up with more money,” Miley continued. “It’s good because an African American team takes ownership of the property, and they’ve got a lot of potential in terms of what they want to do with the property.”

A remaining disagreement between Alameda County and the AASEG involves environmental concerns.

AASEG wanted a “carve-out” for environmental concerns so that it would not face liability for the release of groundwater into San Francisco Bay without a permit. Obtaining a permit could be time-consuming and expensive, requiring the need for consultants, studies, and an oversight process by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board.

County supervisors unanimously supported the non-binding agreement without the carve-out, though Bobbitt said delaying or excluding the carve-out creates timing risks for the project.

“The motion is to accept the terms as presented, excluding the carve-out,” Board of Supervisors President David Haubert said. “Noting that it’s a non-binding term sheet and terms can always be discussed going forward. It’s been pointed out that that could affect the deal, timing, which we’ve been at this for nine years, but what’s a little more time?”

“The arena represents an anchor of the site,” said Babbitt. “This arena … has become a pop culture mecca, and the opportunity to enhance that and expand that is critical to the overall process.”

Speaking at the Board of Supervisors meeting, Miley explained the County’s reasoning behind some of the complex negotiations. He asked interim County Counsel Andrea Weddle:

“In layman’s term’s who’s on the hook for the environmental (cleanup)” under the current deal with the Oakland A’s?

“When the county with a former board entered in the deal with the (A’s), we took on all of the environmental obligations,” Miley said. “Since then, we’ve learned a lot more about the environmental conditions of the Coliseum.”

“If we do a deal with Coliseum Way Partners (the A’s), we remain on the hook,” she said. “If we do a deal as we’ve currently structured with OAC (AASEG), we have eliminated some or hopefully all (or) as much as we can of that liability and aligned our deal with the terms of the city.”

Bobbitt, despite his concerns, supported the nonbinding agreement. He said the public has waited nearly a decade to come to this point.

“The community support has been overwhelming,” he said. “We’ve used a lot of P-words: patience, perseverance, persistence. And we’ve just had to do it, and we understand how complex this has been.”

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Seth Curry Makes Impressive Debut with the Golden State Warriors

Seth looked comfortable in his new uniform, seamlessly fitting into the Warriors’ offensive and defensive system. He finished the night with an impressive 14 points, becoming one of the team’s top scorers for the game. Seth’s points came in a variety of ways – floaters, spot-up three-pointers, mid-range jumpers, and a handful of aggressive drives that kept the Oklahoma City Thunder defense on its heels.

Published

7 months ago

December 4, 2025

Oakland Post

Seth Curry is a point guard on the GSW team.Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.

By Y’Anad Burrell

Tuesday night was anything but ordinary for fans in San Francisco as Seth Curry made his highly anticipated debut as a new member of the Golden State Warriors. Seth didn’t disappoint, delivering a performance that not only showcased his scoring ability but also demonstrated his added value to the team.

At 35, the 12-year NBA veteran on Monday signed a contract to play with the Warriors for the rest of the season.

One of the most memorable moments of the evening came before Seth even scored his first points. As he checked into the game, the Chase Center erupted into applause, with fans rising to their feet to give the newest Warrior a standing ovation.

The crowd’s reaction was a testament not only to Seth’s reputation as a sharpshooter but also to the excitement he brings to the Warriors. It was clear that fans quickly embraced Seth as one of their own, eager to see what he could bring to the team’s championship aspirations.

Warriors’ superstar Steph Curry – Seth’s brother – did not play due to an injury. One could only imagine what it would be like if the Curry brothers were on the court together. Magic in the making.

Seth’s debut proved to be a turning point for the Warriors. Not only did he contribute on the scoreboard, but he also brought a sense of confidence and composure to the floor.

While their loss last night, OKC 124 – GSW 112, Seth’s impact was a game-changer and there’s more yet to come. Beyond statistics, it was clear that Seth’s presence elevated the team’s performance, giving the Warriors a new force as they look to make a deep playoff run.

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Barbara Lee

WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries Kick Off Season with Community Programs in Oakland

“The Golden State Valkyries are more than a team—they’re a movement,” said Oakland Interim-Mayor Kevin Jenkins. “Their touchdown in Oakland marks a new era of opportunity, inspiration, and equity in sports. This partnership reflects our city’s deep commitment to uplifting women, investing in youth, and building a community where every dream has a place to grow. We’re proud to welcome the Valkyries to The Town.”

Published

1 year ago

May 18, 2025

Oakland Post

The Valkyries came to Oakland City Hall with a “Hoopbus.” Present were (from left to right): City Councilmembers Noel Gallo, Rebecca Kaplan, Zac Unger and Rowena Brown; Oakland Mayor-elect Barbara Lee, Valkyries President Jess Smith, a Valkyries team representative and Deputy Mayor LaNiece Jones. Photo courtesy Rebecca Kaplan’s office.

Team installs new nets at playgrounds, holds flag-raisings at City Halls in Oakland and S.F.

Special to The Post

The Golden State Valkyries brought the excitement of their inaugural season to every corner of the Bay Area with a full slate of community celebrations leading up to their historic home-opener against the Los Angeles Sparks at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Friday.

The week featured flag-raising ceremonies at city halls in Oakland and San Francisco, three “Violet Net” installation days at Oakland parks to encourage basketball play, fun “Hoopbus” takeovers at multiple schools presented by Kaiser Permanente, and player appearances.

In total, 90 violet nets were installed on 45 basketball courts across 34 public parks throughout Oakland this week. A list of the parks receiving violet nets can be found at Valkyries.com.

About the Golden State Valkyries

The Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA affiliate of the seven-time NBA Champion Golden State Warriors, were announced as the 13th WNBA franchise on Oct. 5, 2023. According to Norse mythology, Valkyries are a host of warrior women who are fearless and unwavering – flying through air and sea alike.

This brand is Golden State’s modern interpretation of Valkyries: strong, bold, and fierce. Tipping off during the 2025 WNBA season, the team is headquartered in Oakland and will play home games at Chase Center in San Francisco. For Golden State Valkyries’ assets, including team logos, visit valkyries.com.