CHICAGO -- The Big Ten's experiment with instant replay went
so well the conference is asking the NCAA to approve its use on a
permanent basis for all Division I-A games.
The Big Ten's proposal will be considered by the NCAA Football
Rules Committee in February. If instant replay can't be approved
for widespread use in time for next season, the Big Ten is asking
the NCAA for a one-year extension for its system, and to allow
other conferences to experiment with it in 2005.
"It's our understanding that the request for more permanent
change may require a more lengthy process of review in the NCAA
governance system," Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said Thursday.
"We wanted to make sure we didn't lose the opportunity to continue
the experiment in the event the NCAA process is elongated."
There seems to be widespread interest in instant replay, Delany
said. He's had "reasonably lengthy" conversations with seven or
eight other conference commissioners, and he thinks most would
explore it further if the NCAA gives the OK.
Delany hasn't gotten any indication of what way the rules
committee will vote, but he's optimistic.
"I think with this information, this data, the cost basis, the
support by coaches and administrators, that provides some real
momentum," Delany said. "I don't want to speak for how they might
look at this, but it seems to me the proof and the information
developed from this experiment is going to be hard to rebut. That's
my observation."
Kent Barrett, spokesman for the NCAA, said the organization
wouldn't have a reaction until the matter works its way through the
legislative process.
The NCAA gave the Big Ten permission to experiment with instant
replay for all of its televised games at conference stadiums last
season. Under the Big Ten's system, a technical adviser watched the
game from the press box and notified officials on the field via
pager if he saw something questionable. Play was halted while the
adviser reviewed the call using video from the television feed.
Calls could be overturned only if there was "indisputable video
evidence," and judgment calls like illegal blocks and false starts
were not eligible for review. Only calls like scoring plays, pass
plays and number of players on the field could be reviewed.
The Big Ten said replay was used in 28 of the 57 games last
season, with 21 of the 43 calls questioned overturned. Games where
instant replay was used were three minutes longer on average, with
reviews taking an average of 2 minutes and 39 seconds.
Big Ten officials did tweak the system twice. After Wisconsin's
season opener was delayed for nearly five minutes for a review that
only resulted in a 1-yard change, officials were told to use common
sense when deciding which calls to review.
"Did we need to take four-and-a-half minutes to find the right
spot?" said Dave Parry, the Big Ten's coordinator of football
officials. "That's the issue that we wanted to address, to make
sure we weren't shutting down plays and taking time for things that
really weren't important at all."
The Big Ten also came up with standard terminology to avoid any
confusion in communication.
One thing the Big Ten won't do is give coaches challenges like
NFL's instant replay allows.
"To be honest with you, I think this works for us better,"
Delany said. "Others may find a better mousetrap and we'll learn
from that, but we're pretty comfortable with where we are."