NCAA recommends 1 live-contact football practice per week

Posted July 28, 2016 7:00 am

By The Associated Press

The NCAA football oversight committee recommended Division I football programs hold only one "live-contact" practice per week.

The current guidelines, which are not enforceable rules, allow two live practices per week. The new guidelines announced Wednesday will take effect this season.

Live practices are defined as those that involve tackling to the ground and full-speed blocking, and can occur in full or half pads. Live contact does not include thudding, when players are not taken to the ground.

The Ivy League announced earlier this season that it would eliminate live tackling in practice, and even at the FBS level teams rarely have live tackling in practice.

The new guidelines would allow an additional contact practices for players who do not play in a game.

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