Two years ago, the NCAA Football Rules Committee tampered with the clock rules to shorten games that had ballooned to an average of nearly 31/2 hours. The legislation served the purpose — and trimmed an average of 13 plays a game, to the dismay of coaches and fans all over.

Now the rules committee has handed down new clock rules for the third year in a row, hoping to speed up games without ruffling feathers.

New to the college game this season will be a 40-second play clock: As soon as one play ends, the offense has 40 seconds to snap the ball on the next play.

In years past, a 25-second clock regulated the college game — and it’ll still be used after play stoppages. The offense had 25 seconds to snap the ball after it was marked ready for play, but coaches complained that some crews took longer to spot the ball than others.

Lubbock resident Robert Cameron, a Big 12, WAC and Mountain West Conference official, said achieving a more consistent pace was the objective.

“It wasn’t way off from referee to referee across the country,’’ Cameron said, “but this helps completely eliminate that altogether. The times when the 40-second clock is used are times that would make a difference in terms of the pace of the game. When we’re using the 25-second clock, the (game) clock’s not running anyway.’’

Rules changes for 2008

PLAYER SAFETY

 A player may not initiate contact with the top of the helmet or target a defenseless player and initiate contact above the shoulders. Penalty: Personal foul, 15 yards.

 Redefined a chop block as any high-low or low-high combination block between two players against an opponent (other than the ball carrier), anywhere on the field with or without a delay between the contacts. Penalty: Personal foul, 15 yards.

 Outlawed the “horse-collar’’ tackle. Penalty: Personal foul, 15 yards.

 Eliminated the 5-yard facemask penalty. No foul if a player grabs another’s facemask without pulling, twisting or turning it. Pulling, twisting or turning the facemask remains a personal foul, 15-yard penalty.
INSTANT REPLAY

 The new rule expands the range of plays for which the replay official may stop the game. These include certain field-goal attempts and plays where the ball carrier is ruled down and a loose ball is immediately recovered.

 Each coach may now have two replay challenges in a game, but only if the first is successful in reversing an on-field ruling.
GAME ADMINISTRATION

 The sideline warning is eliminated. The first two offenses carry a 5-yard penalty and subsequent offenses result in 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct.

 On kickoffs out of bounds, the receiving team may now take the ball at its own 40.

 Rules now prohibit any attempt to record, either by video or audio, the opposing team’s signals.
TIMING

 In the past, the play clock was set at 25 seconds and started when the referee marked the ball ready for play. Now the play clock will be set to 40 seconds at the end of every play and started immediately.

 The 25-second clock will still be used in several situations, including  after penalty mark-offs, timeouts, measurements, changes of possession, scores, instant replay reviews or other administrative stoppages.

 When the ball or a play goes out of bounds, the game clock will restart when the referee marks the ball ready for play. Previously, it started on the next snap. Exception: In the last two minutes of a half, the clock will not restart following out-of-bounds plays until the next snap.

Source: NCAA Football Rules Committee

Tech coach Mike Leach, a harsh critic of the speed-up rules of 2006, doesn’t mind the 40-second clock. He says he’s even “guardedly optimistic’’ that it will benefit the Red Raiders.

“I like the fact that it has the potential to add plays to a game,’’ Leach said. “The reason they have it is in hopes of shortening the game. I think that’s a far better way than trying to reduce plays.’’

Some new rules crack down on dangerous hits and outlaw the “horse-collar’’ tackle. Other rules changes give coaches the chance at one more video-review challenge and give the replay official limited latitude to review field goals and judge whether a ball carrier was down before he fumbled or scored before he stepped out of bounds.