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The original was posted on /r/cfb by /u/InsuranceOEHL on 2025-02-06 16:08:01+00:00.

The Throw In Rule

Are you already missing college football? Do you want to read a nonsensical proposed change to the rules that will result in injuries, intrigue and makes no sense given the structure of the sport?

Good, you are in the right place.

Many great sports have a “throw in” rule. Both soccer and basketball award a throw in to the opposing side when a team loses the ball out of bounds.

But why doesn’t football have any such rule?

Because it’s the off-season and we have nothing better to do I propose we fix this and add the throw in to college football. For no other reason then it’ll be fun for us all to debate this nonsensical rules change.

My proposed rule goes like this:

When a team fumbles the ball out of bounds rather than it ending the play, the play shall instead pause. The team to last touch the ball inbounds will perform a thrown in (Note 1).

A throw in is a continuation of the play, it is not a new play and does not count as another down. The clock stops from when the ball goes out of bounds until the ball is thrown in bounds.

The throwing team will place one player on the sideline at the spot where the ball went out. This player will throw the ball in from that spot.

All other players must remain 5 yards back from the sideline and five yards up or down field from the spot (Note 2).

Any player can catch the throw in, either team. The eligible receiver rule does not apply.

An incomplete throw remains a live ball, similar to a fumble, and can be recovered by either team.

A team may elect to punt the ball into play instead of throwing it, but then regular punt rules apply and the punting team cannot recover the ball unless first touched by the reciving team. (Note 3).

No substitutions during throw ins. It’s a continuation of the play, you have to keep the same 11 on the field.

Notes: 1: As changes of possession in football are arguably more costly and important than in other sports like soccer or basketball the team with last possession will get to throw the ball in. 2: What I mean by up and down field is that if for example the throw in is being conducted from the 20 yard line, than no player’s can be between the 15 and 25 yard lines. Unless of course they are more than 5 yards away from the sideline. 3: No team would likely ever choose to punt on a throw in but screw it lets say it’s allowed.

For added fun, we could allow the reciving team on a regular punt to conduct a throw in when the punt goes out of bounds, because why not it’s the offseason and this rule is made up nonsense anyhow.

Well that’s what I got. It’s complete nonsense but it’s been in my head and now it’s in yours. Imagine the big play potential on this, imagine the scrambles for a loose ball on a throw in, imagine some left tackle catching the pass and running it down the field. Imagine a quarterback having to punt from the sideline because his coach thinks he should use that quirk in the rules now but he isn’t allowed to sub in his punter mid play!

Is college football back yet? Clearly my sanity depends on it because I thought this was an idea worth sharing.

Edit: I forgot to add. Pass interference rules shall be relaxed. You can’t like bear hug or tackle guys completely before the ball arrives but you can get more physical than the average pass.