NCAA mulling kickoff rule change

The team receiving a kickoff would be allowed to make a fair catch between its goal line and 25-yard line and have it result in a touchback under an NCAA Football Rules Committee proposal.

NCAA secretary-rules editor Steve Shaw said the proposal is a counter to emerging strategy in which the kickoff team tries to execute a high, short kick to pin the receiving team deep in its territory. The opportunity for a fair catch and touchback should reduce high-impact collisions and risk of injury, he said.

“Coaches have really looked at this and they want to do things to make this play safer in our game and keep it a viable play,” Shaw said.

The proposal will be sent to conferences for feedback before being considered by the Playing Rules Oversight Panel on April 13. If approved by the panel, the change would go into effect for the 2018 season. Tennis: Rafael Nadal will miss the upcoming Indian Wells and Miami tournaments because of a lingering right hip injury. Nadal made the announcement on Facebook. He withdrew from the Mexico Open on Wednesday, saying he needed more time to recover. NASCAR: Ryan Blaney has won the pole for the NASCAR Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Blaney earned his third career pole with a lap at 191.489 mph in his Team Penske Ford. Kevin Harvick secured a front-row Ford lockout with a second-place finish in qualifying by turning a lap at 190.248 mph.

Meanwhile, Kyle Busch won his hometown NASCAR Truck race in Las Vegas for his 50th series victory. Busch took advantage when Brett Moffitt, last week’s winner in Atlanta, went sideways with 26 laps left.

Busch, who led 55 laps, has a career sweep in Las Vegas, winning NASCAR events in the Cup, Xfinity and Truck series. Figure skating: Double Olympic bronze medalists Maia and Alex Shibutani of the U.S. dropped out of this month’s World Figure Skating Championships in Milan. Also passing is Adam Rippon, who helped the U.S. win the team bronze at the Pyeongchang Games.