Controversial calls that determine the outcomes of college football games soon will be a thing of the past. Six years after the NFL adopted instant replay, college football is starting to follow suit.

The NCAA Football Rules Committee approved a nationwide instant replay system on Friday after three days of meetings in Indianapolis. All 11 Division I-A schools will be subject to the new format of a replay official halting the game to review a play from the press box.

NIU defensive coordinator Denny Doornbos is an advocate of instant replay, but he is still wondering how all the technical aspects will pan out.

“I like instant replay,” Doornbos said. “It depends on how good the camera work is. Not all of our games are taped for TV, so that will be a major thing to consider.”

At the beginning of the 2006 football season, each team can challenge at any point in the game, and if they win the challenge they will not be charged a time-out and can challenge again.

If the play on the field stands, the team may not challenge again. Teams must have a time-out in order to challenge.

According to the official NCAA Web site, a review can be requested by the head coach on the sidelines by calling a time-out before the next play from scrimmage.

Head coach Joe Novak said he likes instant replay for its decisiveness, but no system is error-proof.

“It will certainly cut down on the controversy,” Novak said. “There’s always going to be close calls. The touchdown [Ben] Roethlisberger had in the Super Bowl was an example. It’s the games that are decided on improper calls that frustrate us.”

While the instant replay adoption was approved by the rules committee, the Playing Rules Oversight Panel will have the official final say in March.

Instant replay was used experimentally by nine of the 11 Division I-A conferences last season, while the Sun Belt and Western Athletic conferences chose not to use it.

For offensive coordinator John Bond, getting the right call on the field is what really matters.

“The players and coaches spend so much time and effort, you just want them to get it right,” Bond said. “Regardless of whether you’re on the good end of it or not. It could be a handful of plays during the season that can determine a championship.”