The annual tweaks to the rulebook by the NCAA, approved Thursday, include the outlawing of wedge blocking on kickoff returns.
Wedge returns call for three or more players, side by side, leading the return man in what was, in essence, a human shield. Kickoff teams, in turn, often employed what was known as a wedge buster, whose job it was to collide with the wedge and disrupt it enough for others to more easily make a tackle.
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According to UA coach Nick Saban, the rule change will not have much of an affect on the Crimson Tide.
“It won’t affect us much. We only have one return that has a three-man wedge and I don’t think we used it very much last year,” said Saban. “It’s not going to be a big factor for what we do. It will be maybe a little bit of a factor for kickoff coverage because wedge fits are always something that you work on with your players.”
Studies showed injuries on wedge returns, particularly concussions, occurred at an abnormally high rate.
“Everybody is looking to make sure we have a safe environment for the players,” said Grant Teaff, executive director of the American Football Coaches Association. “On kickoffs, you have a lot of steam on both sides and you usually have what is called a ‘wedge buster.’ This will eliminate some of that.”
The frequently-used return scheme has already been banned in the National Football League, and the college ranks followed soon after with the same legislation.
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