Good decision by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel today to approve several proposed rules changes submitted by the Football Rules Committee. Specifically, the committee made two changes that revert to time-keeping rules last observed two seasons ago. After a one-year hiatus, the clock will start on the snap after a change of possession (last year, it started on the referee's signal) and on the touch on kickoffs (last year it was on the kick).

Both rules were widely panned last year for eliminating too many plays from games, though they made good on their intention of cutting down on the time of play.

To help keep games on a timely pace, the committee also moved the kickoff back five yards to the 30-yard line (a change that should result in more returns, thus more time lapsed) and limited the play clock to 15 seconds (in televised games) following TV breaks.

I was one of many who slammed football's rules makers for its decisions last year, and I'll be the first to applaud them now. All four changes will keep the game progressing in a timely manner while not intruding on the game itself.