Kirby Smart said he believes that proposed changes to clock operating rules shouldn’t significantly impact college football games next season, but he called them a good first step to reducing the number of plays in the name of player health and safety.

These comments came on Friday as the NCAA Football Rules Committee on Friday approved a proposal to keep the clock running when a team makes a first down except in the last two minutes of a half. Since 1968, the clock has stopped on a first down until the referee gives the ready-for-play signal.

“I’m very comfortable with the measured approach,” said Smart, who is co-chair of the football rules committee that approved this move. “… We think the changes are going to be very minimal here … You could say, why did you change it at all? It’s going to flow better.”

Let’s not jump 2 steps ahead of ourselves, then have to go backwards, (if we passed) the clock running on incomplete passes.”

This season will shed some light on how to move forward, Smart said.

“We’re going to find out a lot this year how much that changes. But I think it’s a smart decision to start looking that direction as we start to take on more games (in 2024 when Playoff expands).”

H/T Seth Emerson.