I was born the son of a football coach. My dad coached high school football in North and South Carolina for close to 40 years, and I started washing socks, jocks and T-shirts once I was old enough to carry them.

I was around football and football players for most of the waking hours of my youth. My dad taught me not only how to play the game, but he also taught me the rules and the science of the game. I might have been the only player on the field who knew exactly what each official was called and what his responsibilities were.

I played football for two decades, and then I coached football for most of my adult life. I live in an area of the country that, to me, has only two seasons — football season and pre-season football. More than anything else, consider myself a true fan of the game. Even while coaching, I would stop and admire a good play by a player on the other team. I enjoy watching the players play, I enjoy watching the coaches' strategies, and I even enjoy watching the officials supervise a game.

However, the game that I have loved for more than 50 years has changed — and, quite often, not for the better. I wouldn't say that the game of football has evolved into the game of today, as much as it has been regulated into the game of today.

Today's game is played much different from the game I first learned to play as a young boy. And I am sure that in 50 years, football will look completely different from the game of today — if it is not entirely banned and is still played.

Since everyone now has an opinion on football, the safety of the game and how to improve the game, I — as a humble fan — propose a few changes for the sport.

1. Three-point kickoffs

If any placekick (not a punt) goes through the goal posts, it should count for three points just like a field goal.

Often times during a game, the defense will be called for a dead-ball penalty on a touchdown, or a penalty will be called on the defense on the point after touchdown. (There are differences between high school and pro rules). The yardage is then marked off on the kickoff.

I propose that if the kicking team's kicker can kick the ensuing kickoff through the uprights, the kicking team should be awarded three points just like on a field goal or a free-kick attempt. (If you don't know what a free-kick attempt is, check your rulebook. You will learn a new rule.)

2. Kickoff team stays still

It seems that kickoffs and extra points are antiquated dinosaurs that will eventually be eliminated from the game, similar to the jump ball in basketball.

Since everyone is worried about injuries and violent collisions and wants to improve kicking plays, I have a suggestion. I propose that all the members of the kickoff team should be completely set until the ball is put into play (kicked). The offense has to do this on every other offensive play, why not do the same for the kickoff?

Only one man (the kicker) should be in motion until the ball is put into play, just like on every other offensive play. Keeping every offensive (kicking team) player still/set until the ball is put into play would allow for more kickoff returns.

Also, why not make the kicker only take one step to kick the ball? No one else who is in motion can be running forward at the snap of the ball, unless it is arena football or Canadian football.

3. Mark punts where they land

Mark all punts where they are touched or where they end up. Some of you are saying that that is the rule now, but it is not.

A punt that lands on the return team's 5-yard line and rolls back 5 yards to the 10-yard line is marked for play on the 10-yard line. However, if a punt lands 1 yard deep in the end zone and then rolls back 5 yards to the 4-yard line, it is considered a touchback and is marked on the 20.

Why not mark it for play on the 4-yard line where it rolled dead? If a ball doesn't roll dead in the end zone, it shouldn't be considered a touchback. Why not always mark the ball where it ends up? With the way punters are putting backspin on punts nowadays, this would be an effective weapon.

We used to have the "coffin-corner" punt in football. When was the last time that you saw someone do that in a game? This change would also eliminate the judgment calls as to whether the punting team knocked the ball back out of the end zone on touchbacks.

4. Get rid of all instant replays

This would speed up the game immensely. Now, after every touchdown, turnover or close play, everything is delayed until a replay is analyzed. It also doesn't matter if there is a good camera angle to see the replay.

I know people will argue that instant replay makes sure that all calls are correct. However, I am not sure that that is the case. I can't tell you how many times I have seen a replay that sure looked like a catch but was ruled incomplete. I also can't tell you how many times that a replay looked like it was not a catch but was ruled to be complete.

If you show the same replay to 100 people, about half will see it one way, while about half will see it the other way. Eliminate all instant replays, and you'll eliminate all second-guessing. Players make mistakes, coaches make mistakes, cheerleaders make mistakes, fans make mistakes, and officials make mistakes. It’s all a part of the game.

As a former player and coach, I can't believe that I'm saying this, but most officials on the college or professional level are excellent officials and genuinely do a good job.

5. Save up penalty yardage

A team should be able to save "unused" penalty yardage to use later in a game. By unused, I mean penalties called on a good play, a turnover or on a touchdown that have to be declined and penalties that are half the distance to the goal line. Defer the yardage to be used until later in the game, just like the decision on the coin toss.

You have replay officials up in the booth making decisions on the game; why not have "yardage officials" keeping track of accumulated penalty yardage? I am sure that there are enough fantasy football geeks out there who would be willing to volunteer to be the penalty yardage official.

6. Make the rules uniform

All football rules should be uniform from high school to college to pro. For instance, pass interference should either be a spot foul or a 15-yard penalty. Any defensive player who enters the neutral zone should either be called for a penalty or should be allowed to get back onside before the ball is snapped.

I know the differences in the rules from high school to the pros, but the average fan does not. Make all rules uniform throughout the game at each level.

7. Flip the catch rules

In high school and college, the receiver has to get one foot down inbounds for it to be a legal catch; in the pros, the receiver has to get two feet down inbounds. Change it so the younger players have to learn to get two feet down inbounds and the pros are allowed to have only one foot down inbounds.

That would help eliminate many inconclusive replays that we have to sit through now while someone judges if the catch was legal or not. (Or make all three levels either have one foot or two feet inbounds.)

8. Make cheerleaders mandatory

All professional football teams should be required to have cheerleaders. Enough said!

9. Only fans can be announcers

All announcers and color commentators should be fans of the game and not critics. I get tired of "expert" announcers criticizing a player or coach for something that happened. Yes, a dropped ball is a dropped ball; a missed tackle is a missed tackle. However, don’t criticize a player for what you perceive as a missed assignment if you don't know exactly what his assignment was on the play.

One of the reasons John Madden was such a popular announcer was that he really enjoyed the game and didn't spend so much time second-guessing and criticizing the players and coaches.

It takes a lot of the joy out of watching the game when a former player, who is now an announcer or color commentator, feels compelled to point out every perceived mistake instead of just simply calling the game. If I wanted to hear someone criticize everything that is being done on the field, I'd watch the game in a bar and just listen to the other "experts" who are drunk.

10. Adopt mascot headgear

My last suggestion to improve the game of football is if your team's mascot wears headgear, that is the headgear the team should wear during the actual football games.

Vikings must wear real Viking helmets; Trojans must wear Trojan helmets; Rams and Devils must wear horns; Chiefs should wear real Indian chief's feathers and head-dress; Cowboys must wear cowboy hats, Patriots and Cavaliers should wear minutemen hats, etc.

That last suggestion may seem a little facetious, but it has about as much chance of becoming reality as any of my other suggestions. All coaches are fans of the game. That's why we got into this crazy profession called coaching. It is the reason that we spend/spent so much time with the crazy, fickle mistress that we call football.

But just like any other love affair, sometimes changes need to be suggested and made. My suggestions may seem a bit too radical to actually be applied to today's game, but hopefully they might make you think and consider the possibilities.