My sympathy to ‘retired’ Cathedral coach Ken Beesley, who suffered a badly broken arm a couple of weeks ago.

After a college baseball career at Mississippi State, Ken coached almost every sport at Cathedral while also becoming one of the best math teachers in the area.

He finished his coaching career as head football and baseball coach at Cathedral before turning over the reins in both sports to son Craig.

Ken, like coaches at many smaller schools, doubled as the athletic area’s grounds keeper, often not only cutting the grass but lining the fields and sweeping the gym floors.

Recently, while wearing that hat, Ken got off the tractor to fix something. Somehow, the tractor rolled over his arm, breaking it in several places. As much time as Ken and retiring Athletic Director Roy Garcia spent on those tractors I am surprised more accidents did not happen.

I wish Ken a speedy recovery and hope he will pass on those dangerous duties to others.

Congratulations to Cathedral Coach Craig Beesley and Trinity baseball (and football, and basketball) star Matthew Freeman for their being named the 2008 Metro Coach and Player of the Year by the Democrat. Both honors are well deserved.

I was wrong a few weeks ago when I wrote that the NCAA had made no really noticeable football rules changes for the 2008 season.

There are actually a couple of changes that even the casual fan will note. This season there will be a rule that prohibits a player from grabbing an opponent by the collar.

That includes the back or sides of the jersey or shoulder pads. The exceptions are if the ball carrier is inside the tackle box or if the quarterback is in the pocket.

I assume the penalty will be 15 yards, but will not know until I get my new rule book.

The rules information I now have is from the “Redding Guide to NCAA Football Rules, 2008 Edition.”

For the 2008 season the NCAA has rescinded the old incidental face mask violation.

Pulling, twisting, or turning and opponent by the face mask will be the only violations, and will carry a 15 yard penalty.

Players will not be allowed to contact or target an opponent with the crown of the helmet.

This seems to be a continuation of the spearing rule. They may not contact a defenseless opponent above the shoulders.

The definition of a chop block has been clarified. It means a high-low block against an opponent by two or more players.

To qualify as low, the contact must be at or below the thighs.

In 2008, a free kick (kick off) out of bounds (untouched by the receiving team) will allow the receiving team to put the ball in play 30 yards from the kicking team’s restraining line.

Also in 2008 there will be a 40-second play clock added to the current 25-second sequence.

This is becoming more and more like the National Football League rule. Coaches will now have a maximum of two ruling challenges for replay, by not losing a challenge after a successful challenge.

National Federation (high school) rules, as discussed earlier, did not follow the major college changes this year.

If form is followed, expect some of those changes to show up in a couple of years.

And, That’s Official.

Al Graning writes a weekly column for The Democrat.