The games are too long.

This, according to those with influence inside college football, is one of the sport's most pressing concerns. At a time when the game is growing and the season is getting longer, the length of these games is an issue.

Well, at least to them.

As a result, according to Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated, executives are inching closer to changes that could speed up games, reduce the number of plays and help improve the safety of the sport.

Those ideas include eliminating the ability for coaches to call consecutive timeouts, removing untimed downs after the conclusion of the first and third quarters following defensive penalties, running the clock after a first down is gained outside of the final two minutes of halves and running the clock after incompletions.

None of these have been approved. That decision won't take place for weeks. Some of these proposals are more radical than others, with the final concept serving as the most unusual.

The first three ideas seem reasonable, though there are plenty of other ways to speed up college football.

Here are a few other ideas worth considering.

Improve the Review Process

Major League Baseball, brilliantly, has found a way to eliminate downtime. Its controversial pitch clock, which is taking the game by storm in spring training, does one thing notably well.

It removes meaningless intermissions between every at-bat, creating more activity.

Given the nature of football, ample time between plays is important for the flow of a game and the safety of its players. Downtime is actually a critical component given the physicality required. But that doesn't mean the sport can't target certain moments of inactivity.

The review process, more than any other moment in a typical game, has become the most useless time in a stadium. To be clear, reviewing questionable plays and calls is hugely important. This process is critical, and we should do everything possible to ensure that the outcomes are decided properly.

But we should also look to streamline a clumsy process. Game officials view small screens in packed stadiums. And sometimes look at plays that frankly shouldn't be looked at.

In short, we can do better.