NCAA Approves Rule Modifications

NCAA.org

On June 8th, 2023, the NCAA rules committee approved several rules changes that include changes to the legal guarding on blocks and charges. Under the new rule, a defender to draw a change must be in position at the time an offensive player plants a foot to go airborne to attempt a field goal. If the defender arrives after the player plants a foot to shoot at the hoop, then officials can call a block when or if contact happens.

With this change, officials will be taught what's considered a blocking foul and a charging foul. This should hopefully reduce players just immediately going for a charging foul. A big issue that can occur is officials not making the right call which then leads to a controversial call. Charges and blocking fouls have played a very big factor in collegiate athletics. There have been changes throughout the year to change charges and it seems to be getting progressively worse. The overall goal for making this change is to reduce the number of charges called throughout the season and also give the officials more time to officiate the plays.

"Our goal is to try to reduce the number of charges that are called," said Rick Barnes, Tennessee’s coach, and the committee chair, earlier this year when the rule change was initially proposed. "We want to give more time to the offensive player to adjust to defensive player movement and reduce the hard collisions that are taking place."