NFHS Football Rules Changes
 

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (February 9, 2012) — High school football players must sit out one play next year if their helmet comes off while the ball is live.

In cases where the helmet comes completely off without it being directly attributable to a foul by the opponent, the player will have to leave the game for at least one down.

This addition to Rule 3-5-10 was one of eight rules changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Football Rules Committee at its January 20-22 meeting in Indianapolis. All rules changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

“The committee made this rules change after reviewing data from multiple states regarding the frequency of helmets coming off during live-ball play,” said Julian Tackett, chair of the Football Rules Committee and commissioner of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association. “It is the committee’s hope that this serves notice for schools to properly fit players with helmets to reduce the incidence of these situations and remind the players not to take steps that alter the fit.”

Another significant change next season will be a new interpretation of a legal catch. A receiver now will be required to establish possession of the ball and contact the ground inbounds while maintaining possession – regardless of the opponent’s action.

“In previous years, the covering official could have ruled that an airborne player attempting to catch the ball would have come down inbounds, but was prevented from doing so because of contact by the opponent,” said Bob Colgate, NFHS director of sports and sports medicine and liaison to the Football Rules Committee. “Now, the player must establish possession and contact the ground inbounds for a legal catch.”

The Football Rules Committee also cleared the way for state associations and their member schools to place corporate advertising and/or commercial markings on the field of play. These types of markings previously were only allowed in the end zones and outside the field.

Rule 1-2-3l will state that while corporate advertising and/or commercial markings will be allowed, the markings may not obstruct the yard lines, hash marks or nine-yard marks.

A risk-minimization change was made to Rule 2-3-7 that changes an interpretation for blocking below the waist.

“The previous interpretation was that it was not a foul for a player to block below the waist if the hand(s) of the opponent was first contacted below the waist,” Colgate said. “This revision changes that interpretation and stipulates that such action is a foul.”

After experimentation in Minnesota and Iowa, the committee revised Rule 9-3-8 to prohibit members of the kicking team from initiating contact (blocking) against members of the receiving team until the ball has broken the plane of the receiving team’s restraining line, or until the kicking team is eligible to recover the free kick.

The other three rules changes approved by the committee include Rule 1-5-3c(8), which expands the list of illegal equipment to include play cards that are not worn on the wrist or arm, as well as Rule 9-4-3h, which now states that grasping the tooth and mouth protector, as well as the face mask, is a foul. Also, to provide guidance to game officials, the committee clarified Rule 9-4-3k by adding the direction in which the opponent was pulled during a horse-collar.

Finally, the NFHS decided to extend the effective date of its new glove rule from 2012 to 2013. During the 2012 season, both gloves meeting the current standard and gloves meeting the new standard will be legal for play.

“The game of football at the high school level is in great shape, and the committee continues to review all available data to minimize the risk to participants,” Tackett said. “A hallmark to the NFHS playing rules is the constant emphasis on risk minimization, as well as historic tenets regarding the balance between offense and defense and making the rules appropriate for the levels of the coaches, players and officials.”

Football is the No. 1 participatory sport for boys at the high school level with 1,134,377 participants in the 2010-11 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 1,561 girls who played football in 2010-11.

Thanks Tim.

In Iowa, contrary to the release, the only reqirement on free kicks that was different from the Fed rule was that there had to be at least 4 members of the kicking team on both sides of the kicker. That does not seem to be addressed.
I never thought this was a problem before the experiment.

http://www.iahsaa.org/football/11_IH...ee%20Kicks.pdf

NC was involved in recording the number of players who lost their helmet during a play. The numbers were staggering.

Typical monkey see-monkey do reaction to higher levels.

You say MSMD; they say, why reinvent the wheel?

I like the blocking restrictions for KOs, the helmet penalty, & the revised definition of a catch.

Not sure about the HC revision until I see the full text & case plays.

I don't like the revised BBW rule as explained in the press release. We see many blocks that don't rise to the "potentially dangerous" level because the blockee has ample time to protect himself. I'd like it better if they had changed it to "any block at or below the knees."

Just a side note, I heard that the mechanics for kick offs will not have the BJ at the 40, the L and LJ both at the 50 and the U and R deep. Not sure if I like this change for something that was not really much of an issue, at least in my area.

Where would the BJ go if they are not at the 40 and two officials are at the 50? And are these NF changes or IHSA changes?

Peace

I think he meant "now" at the 40. Essentially, the L would move up to be on one side of the restraining line.

So we'd have the BJ with the kickers, the LJ and the L with the receivers, and the R and U deep. I'd love to see them move both the U and R to the pylons, if this is actually an NFHS mechanics change.

Sorry I did mean now. This is the year that they are up dating the mechanics manual, so I believe that this will be the change. Personally, I like the coverage of the kicks as it is now, and shift in on-sides situations there is ample field coverage, not sure how this change will impact that. I would also like to see the U start at the pylon as the legs keep getting stronger and stronger.

We (meaning the IHSA) already had the BJ at the 40, that is why I asked. ;)

At least that is the case in our mechanics, not necessarily what the NF does. The L moving to the 50 would be a change as only the LJ was located there already opposite the BJ. And it was our option as well to have the U on the pylon based on the ability of the kickers. The R was already there pretty much based on the actual mechanics. I would just wonder now if the IHSA would adopt the U being on the pylon at all times. I guess we will see by later this spring.

Peace

Rich, the Ohio mechanics have the BJ on the 40, the U on the 50, R on the goal line and the L &LJ on the goal line pylons for the first free kick for each team. We then adjust for the next kick. If the first kick is long inside the 5 or deeper we will stay on the goal line. If the kick is shorter we will move to the 10. We will watch the kicker in warm ups or ask the coach if his kicker can get it to the end zone. Our football director wants the goal line protected.

1. I doubt that Rich cares right now what Ohio does.

2. He might change his mind when he learns that the OHSAA guy who instigated the "Ohio mechanic" for free kicks is chair of the NFHS rules committee for football. ;)

I want 3 officials on the goal line, too. I sure hope this is the new NFHS mechanic. If you've ever watched the Sumstine Aloha Classic videos, he advocates for this, as well.

That seems like a lot for 5 man mechanics and for a level where most kicks do not even get close to the goal line.

Peace