Official NCAA announcements or publications on rule changes

NCAA to Close "Lanning Rule" Loophole After Oregon's Intentional 12-Men Penalty in Win Over Ohio State

Oct 15, 2024, 04:20 PM

During No. 2 Oregon's win over No. 4 Ohio State, coach Dan Lanning intentionally exploited a loophole by having 12 men on the field late in the game, resulting in a penalty that ran off four seconds from the clock. This strategic move, which Lanning confirmed was planned, has been described by some as "genius." The NCAA Football Rules Committee is now examining this loophole, with officials indicating they may release a new interpretation as early as this week to prevent teams from benefiting from intentional penalties in this manner. Coaches like Brent Venables and Bret Bielema have commented on the situation, predicting an imminent rule change. The proposed solution would reset the game clock to the previous time after such penalties, and the amendment is informally being referred to as the "Lanning Rule." The NCAA is acting unusually quickly to address this issue.