New Fed rules up

[Texas Aggie]

But since TX/MA are the minority of states, it doesn't make sense for the other states to cater to them.

This got touched on in another forum and I recalled I hadn't been back to this thread.

There isn't any need to cater to anyone. If Fed rules made more sense, then I'd be in favor of Texas adopting them. They won't, and Texas never will. My point is not to benefit Texas but to benefit all states. And officials. Got a game on Friday and then a college game on Saturday? Here, its easy. Someone else is running the game clock (one difference), and the conference takes care of those ejected for fighting (another difference). Small college supervisors want Texas guys spread among their crews so they can make sure that Fed rules and penalty enforcements are not injected in the college game.

I can appreciate the idea that in smaller states there are more teams crossing state lines to play games (interesting fact: Texas HS playoff game was once played in New Mexico -- obviously involving only Texas teams, but the NM location was best for both). But those states can easily get together and adopt similar exceptions to the NCAA rules. Are you really going to argue that 2 states playing modified NCAA rules are going to have more differences than what NCAA and Fed football rules have now? Whether its teams coming to Texas (or Mass) to play or vice versa, the current differences are a bigger pain in the ass than what would happen in going all NCAA. In fact, there would probably be a "model" HS football rules exception code that most states would adopt with perhaps a few changes.

What football rules exceptions does Fed allow states to make now? Also, is there a specific 8 man football book, or are there exceptions in the Fed book for 8 man? What about 6 man? What if a state wanted to go coed and have rules differences?

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

In fact, there would probably be a "model" HS football rules exception code that most states would adopt with perhaps a few changes.

NCAA already writes suggested rules for HS play, has done so since before Fed existed, and I suspect the Football Rules Committee started doing so slightly before the NCAA existed.

OTOH, at one time Fed organized an Alliance that wrote football rules for them, NAIA, and NJCAA.

What football rules exceptions does Fed allow states to make now? Also, is there a specific 8 man football book, or are there exceptions in the Fed book for 8 man? What about 6 man? What if a state wanted to go coed and have rules differences?

The only thing a state's HSAA "gets" in return for following Fed rules strictly in a sport is official input to the rules committee for that sport. BFD...why does a SHSAA care about what rules the other SHSAAs play by, unless they play a lot of their schedule across state lines?

My HS wasn't even a member of the state's HSAA. They had their own league rules for football. That didn't stop them from playing occasional games out of league with teams that normally played by Fed rules. They played by their league's rules when they were the home team, and by the home team's when they were away.

Heck, there are leagues in Canada playing by US or partially US rules.

AFAICT, this is a problem only for officials who might work a HS league, children's, college, and/or adult minor league football during the same season. And it's a significant problem only as to actions that kill a play or alter timing, because other errors are easily reversible.

How's this for an idea for when you work some games where encroachment kills the ball and others where it doesn't?: Wear something colored on your hand that carries the whistle to remind you. When you see it coming into your field of view, it'll tell you if you shouldn't blow.