NCAA committee recommends replay

INDIANAPOLIS -- An NCAA committee Wednesday recommended that permission to use a video replay system tested last season in the Big Ten be expanded to all schools and conferences for further study during the 2005 football season.\nThe recommendation by the Football Rules Committee will be considered by an oversight panel Feb. 24 and, if approved, will be put in place for the regular season this fall.\n"The response to video replay nationally and in the Big Ten was overwhelmingly positive," said Chuck Broyles, the coach at Pittsburg State and chairman of the rules committee. "When we have the ability to correct a potentially game-changing error, and we have the technology to do so, we feel this improves the fairness of the game and directly improves the student-athlete experience."\nHe said many conferences have asked permission to try the replay system for the 2005 season.\nThe Big Ten in December said replay was used in 28 of 57 conference games last season. Of the 43 calls questioned, 21 were overturned. Games where replay was used averaged three minutes longer than games without replay.\nUnder Wednesday's recommendation, any conference that wants to use video replay must confirm its plans with the rules committee by June 1.\n"The preparation, training and educational effort needed to properly administer a system of review requires a commitment from a conference to make it run successfully," Broyles said. "There certainly is interest in the Division I-A level and our committee wants to encourage developments that will help the game."\nThe video replay would not be used in post-season bowl games or in NCAA championships below the Division I level.