oul , ▁if ▁non - contact , ▁or ▁from ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁run , ▁if ▁contact . ▁ ▁Play ers ▁will ▁no ▁longer ▁be ▁required ▁to ▁wear ▁p ants ▁that ▁cover ▁the ▁kne es . ▁ ▁The ▁officials ' ▁uniform s ▁were ▁slightly ▁changed . ▁ ▁The ▁sh irt ▁stri pes ▁are ▁wider , ▁they ▁now ▁wear ▁black ▁p ants ▁instead ▁of ▁white , ▁and ▁the ▁initial ▁of ▁the ▁official ' s ▁role ▁( ex . ▁" R " ▁for ▁ref eree , ▁" U " ▁for ▁u mp ire ) ▁is ▁displayed ▁on ▁the ▁front ▁uniform ▁pocket . ▁ ▁In ▁addition , ▁the ▁NCAA ▁recomm ends ▁that ▁con ferences ▁without ▁a ▁pre game ▁warm - up ▁policy ▁should ▁use ▁a ▁ten - yard , ▁no - player ▁zone ▁between ▁the ▁ 4 5 - yard ▁lines ▁beginning ▁ 6 0 ▁minutes ▁before ▁kick off . ▁ ▁Conference ▁real ignment ▁ ▁M emb ership ▁changes ▁Five ▁F BS ▁schools ▁switched ▁con ferences ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁season . ▁Each ▁of ▁these ▁moves ▁had ▁been ▁formally ▁announced ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁ ▁On ▁April ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁U M ass ▁announced ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁upgrade ▁its ▁football ▁program ▁to ▁the ▁F BS ▁level ▁and ▁become ▁a ▁football - only ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Mid - American ▁Conference ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁Full ▁F BS ▁membership ▁and ▁el ig ibility ▁for ▁the ▁conference ▁championship ▁and ▁bow l