http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2544174
According to Rule 3-2-5, the game clock will start as soon as the ball is kicked in a kickoff situation. Previously, the clock would only start once the receiving team touched the ball. In addition, Rule 3-2-5-e states that, after a team gets a first down, the clock will begin running again on the ready-for-play signal. Previously, the clock did not resume until the team snapped the ball.
Penn State coach Joe Paterno brought out another perhaps unintended effect of the new rule.
"When you kick the ball, [the clock] starts. Kick it out of bounds with 8-10 seconds to go, the game's over," Paterno said to USA Today. "We've got to expose our kids to it in preseason practice."
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Total fucking BS... This is beyond stupid, drama makes games great, and taking away a chance to snap the ball when down 4 with :01 left on the 10 yard line fucking kills it, this is the worst thing they could have done.