NFHS Survey

[Texas Aggie]

Not that it matters to me too much, but I think more states should go NCAA. The Fed football rules are just bizarre in too many areas. States have all the ability they want to make their own modifications, unlike when using Fed.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

States have all the ability they want to make their own modifications, unlike when using Fed.

States can, and do, modify NFHS rules as well.

There are some things I like about NFHS rules, including the simplicity of blocking below the waist. That's a jumbled mess in NCAA and doesn't seem it will be really fixed any time soon.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

Not that it matters to me too much, but I think more states should go NCAA. The Fed football rules are just bizarre in too many areas. States have all the ability they want to make their own modifications, unlike when using Fed.

They have that "ability" because they can't be members of the NCAA!

By the same token, they have the ability to make their own modif'ns on Fed rules too. I know plenty of organiz'ns that do so. They just aren't members of the Federation.

[Suudy]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

Not that it matters to me too much, but I think more states should go NCAA.

Out of curiosity, do TX (and MA) allow blocking below the waist as NCAA does (obviously before a COP, not back toward the LOS, etc)? Or are there modifications to the NCAA ruleset?

I think one of the biggest barriers to states switching from Fed to NCAA is the blocking changes. There is already significant focus and emphasis on injuries (chop blocks have been heavily emphasized over the last several years). And the questions in the survey hint at this. Notice the question about "the free blocking zone and making blocking below the waist, clipping and blocking in the back illegal anywhere on the field".

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by Suudy

Out of curiosity, do TX (and MA) allow blocking below the waist as NCAA does (obviously before a COP, not back toward the LOS, etc)? Or are there modifications to the NCAA ruleset?

Except for some administrative uniform things, timing and where to kick off from, the rules in Texas are exactly the same as NCAA. We are about 99% pure NCAA.

[Suudy]

Originally Posted by Welpe

Except for some administrative uniform things, timing and where to kick off from, the rules in Texas are exactly the same as NCAA. We are about 99% pure NCAA.

I wonder if there has been any study on injuries in TX/MA vs Fed states. If the Fed is considering eliminating the free blocking zone and focusing on other types of blocks, I would think they are doing it for safety reasons. And if they are concerned about illegal blocking (including blocks below the waist), then they must have a reason to consider it dangerous. And one would hope they have data to support such a conclusion.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Suudy

I wonder if there has been any study on injuries in TX/MA vs Fed states. If the Fed is considering eliminating the free blocking zone and focusing on other types of blocks, I would think they are doing it for safety reasons. And if they are concerned about illegal blocking (including blocks below the waist), then they must have a reason to consider it dangerous. And one would hope they have data to support such a conclusion.

It's been my experience (multiple sports) that rules designed to prevent injuries are not supported by data as much as they are supported by one-off anecdotal stories or "what-if" fears.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

It's been my experience (multiple sports) that rules designed to prevent injuries are not supported by data as much as they are supported by one-off anecdotal stories or "what-if" fears.

True, because getting the data is a major job. The rule that was based on research was the disallowance of BBW following CoP, or at least the one following a CoP via kick.

[maven]

Originally Posted by Welpe

We are about 99% pure NCAA.

Is that by weight or volume?

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by maven

Is that by weight or volume?

Volume...we are much louder here.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Welpe

Volume...we are much louder here.

True. I was at the Katy game last weekend - as loud as any college game I've been to recently.

(Side note - both my alma mater (Cy Fair) and my son's school (Katy) are still going - only 8 teams left in each bracket. Going for the daily double this year!)

[ajmc]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

Not that it matters to me too much, but I think more states should go NCAA. The Fed football rules are just bizarre in too many areas. States have all the ability they want to make their own modifications, unlike when using Fed.

Actually modifications to NFHS rules, determined by individual States, is fairly common. NFHS rules seem a lot less complex and offer far fewer exceptions than NCAA rules, perhaps why 96% of the 50 State High School Administrations choose NFHS rules.

[KWH]

Originally Posted by ajmc

Actually modifications to NFHS rules, determined by individual States, is fairly common. NFHS rules seem a lot less complex and offer far fewer exceptions than NCAA rules, perhaps why 96% of the 50 State High School Administrations choose NFHS rules.

NFHS states can and do make modifications to rules to makes the rule safer.

Additionally, all 98.94% (49 out of 51 which includes the District of Columbia)of states that belong to the NFHS each get one vote each year on each and every rule change.

Texas and Massachusetts get no say, no comments, no input, and no vote on NCAA rule changes. They never have, and they never will just as long as they choose to stay with NCAA. But then, that is there choice.

By the way, the talk around the water cooler is Massachusetts is seriously considering returning to the NFHS for football.

FYI - Texas and Massachusetts use NFHS rules for all sports except football

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by KWH

Additionally, all 98.94% (49 out of 51 which includes the District of Columbia)of states

Math Fail.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by KWH

Additionally, all 98.94% (49 out of 51 which includes the District of Columbia)of states that belong to the NFHS each get one vote each year on each and every rule change.

Texas and Massachusetts get no say, no comments, no input, and no vote on NCAA rule changes. They never have, and they never will just as long as they choose to stay with NCAA.

But why would they want such a say? It's not as if Texas & Mass. HS are playing football against institutions other than HS that also play by their rules, so their ability to affect NCAA would mean nothing to them. It might be different if Texas & Mass. were adjoining states where the schools frequently played against each other, in which case each state ass'n would have a slight stake in the rules the other one played by.