NFHS Additional Rules per helmeted players

[Tim C]

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (February 7, 2013) — In an effort to continue minimizing the risk of injury in high school football, three additional rules will take effect next season to address helmets coming off players’ heads during games.

These three risk-minimization additions were among 10 rules changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Football Rules Committee at its January 18-20 meeting in Indianapolis. All rules changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

As a follow-up to last year’s rules change that requires players to sit out one play if their helmet comes off while the ball is live, the committee approved three additional rules that are extensions of last year’s change.

An illegal personal contact foul was added to Rule 9-4-3 to state that “no player or nonplayer shall initiate contact with an opposing player whose helmet has come completely off.”

In addition, a new listing in Rule 9-6-4 will state that it is illegal participation “for a player whose helmet comes completely off during a down to continue to participate beyond the immediate action in which the player is engaged.”

“With its continued focus on risk minimization, the committee determined that a helmet-less player shall not block, tackle or otherwise participate beyond the immediate action in which the player is engaged when the helmet came completely off,” said Bob Colgate, NFHS director of sports and sports medicine. “The penalty would be a live-ball, basic-spot foul.”

The committee also added language to Rule 3-5-10 to clarify that if the helmet comes completely off during the down or subsequent dead-ball action related to the down – and is not directly attributable to a foul by the opponent – the player must leave the game for at least one down, with the exception of halftime or overtime intermission. When this occurs, an official’s time-out shall be called.

“Player safety has been and will continue to be the top priority for members of the NFHS Football Rules Committee,” said Brad Garrett, chair of the NFHS Football Rules Committee and assistant executive director of the Oregon School Activities Association. “These rules changes regarding helmet-less players are more examples of the group’s commitment to minimize risk within the game.”

Perhaps the most significant rules change next season will be one that reduces the penalty for pass interference. While the 15-yard penalty will remain for both offensive and defensive pass interference, the loss of down has been removed for offensive pass interference and the automatic first down has been eliminated for defensive pass interference.

“Offensive and defensive pass interference and the penalty structure related to these fouls has been debated many times in recent years,” Garrett said. “Proposals that either deleted the loss of down or the automatic first down – but not both – failed to gain support among committee members. The proposal to eliminate both components, thus not upsetting the balance between offense and defense, was the key factor in the adoption of the new rule.”

Another change at high school football games next year will be the expanded use of communication devices. In specific situations, coaches, players and nonplayers will be allowed to use any form of communication technology.

This expansion of the rule allows the use of communication devices during authorized conferences outside the nine-yard marks, on the sidelines and during the halftime intermission. Use of communication devices by players except conferences outside the nine-yard mark continues to be prohibited.

In Rule 2-4-1, the committee clarified the rule approved last year regarding the definition of a catch, which stated that a receiver is required to establish possession of the ball and contact the ground inbounds while maintaining possession – regardless of the opponent’s action.

“The committee clarified the definition of a catch such that an airborne player who has forward progress stopped inbounds and is carried out of bounds by an opponent before contacting the ground is awarded a catch at the spot of forward progress,” Colgate said.

In Rule 9-3-8, the committee added another provision to the rule enacted last year regarding contact by the kicking team against members of the receiving team. The new provision stipulates that the kicking team may initiate contact once the receiving team has initiated a block within the neutral zone.

The committee also approved the addition of a 15-yard penalty to the existing option of accepting an awarded fair catch for kick-catch interference.

Finally, in Rule 8-3-3, the committee clarified that the touchdown scoring team is the only team that can score on a try, and in Rule 1-5-3 the committee modified the rule regarding the wearing of towels.

Football is the No. 1 participatory sport for boys at the high school level with 1,121,744 participants in the 2011-12 school year, according to the High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the NFHS through its member state associations. In addition, the survey indicated there were 1,805 girls who played football in 2011-12.

[johnnyg08]

Not an automatic first down on Defensive PI is pretty crazy. Did I read that correctly?

[Welpe]

Perhaps the most significant rules change next season will be one that reduces the penalty for pass interference. While the 15-yard penalty will remain for both offensive and defensive pass interference, the loss of down has been removed for offensive pass interference and the automatic first down has been eliminated for defensive pass interference.

Holy cow! The Fed threw the baby out with the bath water.

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by Welpe

Holy cow! The Fed threw the baby out with the bath water.

That rule change just doesn't make any sense.

[HLin NC]

Where is that located? I don't see it posted on the NFHS website nor the Arbiter?

[johnnyg08]

Tim C always gets the information first. It's probably not on the website yet.

[JKinATL29]

Our state training director emailed it out this morning as well. The release is dated today so it may just not have gotten posted to the site yet.

Meanwhile...is anyone else thinking the NFHS has bumped their collective head and may need one of those sideline concussion test things?

[BEAREF]

Originally Posted by HLin NC

Where is that located? I don't see it posted on the NFHS website nor the Arbiter?

NFHS | Additional Rules Approved in High School Football Regarding Helmets Coming Off Players

[HLin NC]

The PI issue was discussed on the other officiating board over the last several days. Apparently the rumors were out about a week ago.
Personally I think its dumb but it is what it is. The only issues will be the head coaches screaming for the AFD on DPI who either 1) forgot, 2) didn't read a rule update/go to a clinic, 3) want to play head games with the crew.

It seems to me that many coaches didn't know that LOD came with OPI.

As to the helmetless player participating, its a trickle down from NCAA that I think most everyone figured would be coming.

I take it the no legal BBW unless hand to hand snap didn't pass?

[Rich]

Amazing. Sometimes I feel the NFHS can't get out of its own way.

I figured that over time the NFHS would increase the number of penalties that include an AFD, not reduce the number. Of course, now we can say this:

"Coach, if the foul doesn't include the word roughing, there's no automatic first down."

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by Rich

"Coach, if the foul doesn't include the word roughing, there's no automatic first down."

That is just nuts.

[MD Longhorn]

Excellent. Now, if we need the clock to stop and are out of timeouts, we just make sure someone's helmet comes off. GREAT idea.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

Excellent. Now, if we need the clock to stop and are out of timeouts, we just make sure someone's helmet comes off. GREAT idea.

That is already the case in NCAA...besides you're here in Texas.

[APG]

I should say I'm surprised, but this IS NFHS we're talking about...

[JRutledge]

I think DPIs will go up. Why not, not much consequence for this action anymore. Stupid change.

Peace