Will NFHS Follow NFL Rule Changes in the Future?

[Niner]

Interesting. It seems to me that 99% of all facemask violations (5 & 15) are accidental. Does the differential in the penalty really change anything other than the officials feeling better about calling it? Is that why the pros went back to one penalty?

[HLin NC]

The pro and college coaches felt as if the incidental facemask fouls were inconsequential and shouldn't be called.

NFHS' feeling was that HS officials were holding back from calling a facemask at all unless there was significant grasping-pulling-twisting.

[MJT]

I don't think the NF will change on this one. The NF is consistantly more on the "safety" kick than the NCAA or NFL. The most obvious example of this is the increased BBW area that the NF has compared to the NCAA and NFL. The difference in safety is the the reason that I think the NF will not eliminate the 5 yard FM.

[Theisey]

NF added the 5 yd "incidental" facemask penalty in 2000. There has been
no outcry to my knowledge to remove it.

While I don't care about what the NFL does, I do feel the NCAA is making a mistake for removing this foul from their rules.

[Forksref]

Originally Posted by Theisey

NF added the 5 yd "incidental" facemask penalty in 2000. There has been
no outcry to my knowledge to remove it.

While I don't care about what the NFL does, I do feel the NCAA is making a mistake for removing this foul from their rules.

AMEN!!

Big mistake and I hope the Fed doesn't revert back.

I only keep up on the obvious differences between Fri-Sat-Sun rules only to explain to the average fan and coach what they are. I don't do NCAA anymore so I don't need to confuse myself with the details. Pro rules in most sports are not safety-oriented so much as entertainment-oriented.