Models are developed for the collision term in the kinetic equation for polyatomic gases. Assumptions are made which imply that the translational degrees of freedom undergo violent changes in collisions, while the internal degrees of freedom undergo relatively small transitions. The models consist of a term for the translational degrees of freedom which is closely related to the Krook models for monatomic gases and a term for the internal degrees of freedom which has the character of a diffusion expression. An explicit model is constructed for a gas of eccentrically loaded spherical molecules. Disposable parameters appearing in the model are evaluated in the limits of impulsive and adiabatic collisions. The existence of characteristic rotational energy relaxation times in these limits is briefly examined.