New rule: knees need coverage, too

A rule that officials working college football games will begin enforcing this season requires players’ pants to “completely cover the knees,” officials said.

Rule 1-4-4-d advises that, “if an official discovers illegal equipment or if a player is not wearing mandatory equipment, the player must leave the game for at least one down and is not allowed to return until the equipment is made legal.”

This includes knee pads and pants “completely covering the knees.”

The rule was to have been instituted in 2017 but many schools had already ordered uniforms when the rule was announced so it is being implemented this year.

UH, like a lot of mid-major schools, practices in older uniforms that might not cover the knees. But the ‘Bows have been advised that come game day officials will be checking to see that uniforms comply with the rules.

Coaches are required to certify before the game that their players will be in compliance.

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Also from Ferd Lewis: Here’s a link to today’s breaking news on Colorado State coach Mike Bobo being hospitalized ahead of the UH-CSU season opener in Colorado.