As coaching camps open for the 2024 NFL season, there’s a nice unknown hanging over each crew.
The NFL instituted a brand new kickoff rule this yr, and it’ll drastically alter a play that turned stale in recent times after adjustments have been made for security.
Nobody appears to know fairly what to anticipate from the rule change, together with coaches.
“It’s an enormous problem with all these new guidelines,” Jets particular groups coach Brant Boyer mentioned. “It’s type of a wait-and-see type of deal, and also you see what matches and what works and what kicks are greatest and who’s doing it, all that stuff. I feel there’s an enormous unknown, to be sincere with you. We’ve finished nothing however examine and examine and examine, and been in right here virtually each day, to be sincere with you, attempting to determine what’s going to work greatest, however no person is aware of till you strap it up and the preseason video games begin.”
The kickoff goes to be an enormous storyline within the preseason, when informal followers tune in and see a play that appears very totally different from what they’re used to.
The most important visible distinction is the formation.
The kicking crew, aside from the kicker, will line up with one foot on the receiving crew’s 40-yard line.
These gamers can not transfer till the ball hits the bottom, a returner or the top zone.
The receiving crew will line up in two zones.
The setup zone is a 5-yard space from the 35 to the 30 the place 9 gamers should line up.
Seven gamers should have a foot on the 35-yard line.
These gamers can not transfer till the kick has hit the bottom, a returner or the top zone.
Then, there may be the touchdown zone.
That is the world between the 20-yard line of the receiving crew and the purpose line. Groups can have a most of two returners on this space.
Any kick that lands in need of the touchdown zone will probably be handled like a kickoff out of bounds, and the ball will probably be noticed on the 40-yard line.
A kick that lands within the touchdown zone should be returned.
If the ball lands within the touchdown zone then goes into the top zone and the receiving crew downs it, the ball will probably be noticed on the 20-yard line.
If a kick hits ultimately zone and is downed or goes out of the again of the top zone, the ball will probably be noticed on the 30.
The XFL had the same kickoff rule, and Boyer mentioned he has been learning “a ton” of that league’s movie.
Nonetheless, he’s not sure what to anticipate.
“All of it appears good on paper what all of us have deliberate and what we attempt to do, however on the finish of the day, no person is aware of till we get on the market within the preseason, and that’s the reality,” Boyer mentioned.
The Jets count on the variety of returns to extend dramatically with this new rule.
That’s one purpose they signed veteran returner Tarik Cohen this spring.
In addition they had Jakeem Grant in for a tryout however didn’t signal him.
There may be debate about whether or not groups will probably be kicking line drives on the returners or attempting to skip it on the bottom to make it harder to discipline the ball.
There may be additionally debate about what kind of returner you need precisely.
“That’s a part of the dialogue for positive, like what sort of area is there going to be?” Jets coach Robert Saleh mentioned. “Are you breaking arm tackles? Are you operating by way of area? However once more, there’s quite a lot of unknowns. There’s going to be quite a lot of discovery made on this first yr. There’s going to be quite a lot of discovery made throughout the first 5 weeks. By the point you allow coaching camp, there’s going to be quite a lot of discovery and ideas on the course that it’s going to go, so I feel I undoubtedly converse for this constructing that we’re all excited to see what occurs with it.”
Particular groups typically get neglected within the preseason.
This yr, the brand new kickoff will take middle stage.
