Extra Points Undergo a Conversion

The National Collegiate Athletic Assn. has instituted a rule for all three divisions of football competition that gives the defensive team two points if it scores on a botched extra-point attempt.

This means that at some point during the upcoming season the following things are bound to happen:

A pack of players busily cussing out a fumble-fingered running back will let an opponent bolt from goal line to goal line.

A player will intercept a pass, forget he is supposed to run with it, and begin an end zone break dance.

In the past, a blocked PAT kick or a turnover on a two-point conversion try simply ended the play. With the rule change, such a miscue is likely to start chain reactions that will wind up on highlight films.

David Nelson, secretary-editor of the NCAA football rules committee, said that the change had been a topic of discussion for several years.

“The main concern was that the PAT had become a non-football play,” Nelson said. “Since the dawn of unlimited substitution, teams have a long-snapper, a holder and a kicker. That’s all some of those guys ever practice. It became almost impossible to miss, something like 96% effective. For that one play, there was no balance between offense and defense.”

The rules committee studied a number of alternatives to lessen the offense’s chances. They thought about putting the ball at the 35 and making a PAT the equivalent of a 42-yard field goal. “Even then,” Nelson said, “the success ratio is about 70%.”

They also considered scrapping the conversion kick, thereby forcing teams to either run or pass, or eliminating the conversion altogether and making a touchdown worth seven points.

“What we’ve done was make the minimum change,” Nelson said. “It may not make the PAT any tougher, but at least we’re playing football the same as we are every other play of the game.”

The change will have little impact on PAT kicks. Even if blocked, a kick can be returned only if caught in the air. Also, fumbles can be returned only if they are caught in the air.