With the upcoming 2022 NCAA Convention around the corner, the Division II Management Council is set to propose several key changes to the DII Football season.
The past few months have been a time of tremendous reform in college sports. The NCAA has shown awareness and willingness to change the way they control collegiate athletics in a way that was never done before. Whether it be realignment, NIL, or softer transfer rules, this progressive attitude has trickled down to Division II as well.
The Division II Management Council has officially recommended that the Division II President's Council endorse various legislative efforts for the 2022 NCAA convention. These proposals include changes to the preseason and out-of-season models, changes to the four-year college transfer laws, and changes to the entire Division II legislative process and governing authority.
The President's Committee will review these proposals during the August 14th meeting with the potential to be instilled this January. Any proposals that are agreed upon will move to be voted on during the 2022 Convention in Indianapolis.
The first major proposal is to reform preseason training practices. The council has proposed prohibiting certain drills that put players at risk of head injury. The proposal specifically cites the disapproval of drills that not only can cause trauma to the head, but also not mimic real game scenarios. Effectively putting the health of the players at risk without giving them any real game experience.
This portion of the legislative efforts was created in partnership with the Football Concussion Data Task Force. The bill would reduce the maximum number of full-contact practices allowed from 17 down to just 9.
In addition to player safety, the management council also hopes to create changes in regards to four-year college transfers. The proposal would require student-athletes to complete an educational model regarding the transfer process before entering the official transfer portal. It would also remove the previous school’s power to contest the use of the one-time transfer exception.
The bill would also require both the Head Coach of the new program and the Athlete themselves to sign off that there was no attempt to lure the player to their new program prior to receiving authorization through the notification of transfer process. June 15 would also become the date by which students must submit a written notification of transfer to take advantage of the one-time transfer exception.
The proposed legislation would increase the scope of both Membership’s and President’s Council’s legislative abilities. The reasoning behind this is to allow for more swift action in response to complications to the DII season due to the pandemic. The proposal would increase both councils’ powers in emergency legislation, special conventions, and resolutions.
The biggest change is that it allows for resolutions to be approved at any time during the year, as opposed to annually or during special conventions as is currently the case.
These changes are representative of both the complications resulting from trying to conduct collegiate sports amidst a pandemic. As well as the new progressive trend that has been sweeping the entire college sports world.
