National Federation of State High School Associations 2018 NFHS Rules Changes Meeting
NFHS Football Rules Your Assigners Any person having questions about the interpretation of NFHS football rules should contact the football rules interpreter-assigner Steve Peloso (908) 642-7377 Steve.sfoa@gmail.com Mike Whritenour (973) 934-7687 mwhritenour@aol.com Mark Bitar (973) 800-4608 mark.bitar@gmail.com Charley Zulauf (973) 632-0844 czulauf3@yahoo.com The NFHS is the sole and exclusive source of model interpretations of High School football rules.
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National Federation of State High School Associations 2018 Agenda - 2018 Rule Changes - Recent Important Rules Changes - Points of Emphasis - Rules Reminders - Rules Differences Pro/Colleges vs NFHS - A few plays
National Federation of State High School Associations 2018 Football - Rules Changes - Equipment - Defenseless Player Definition - Penalty Enforcement Options for Kicks - New Signals
Equipment Rules 1-5-4, 1-5-5, 3-5-10e, 3-6-2, 9-8-1h, 9-9
Equipment RULE 1-5-1b(1) Shoulder pads and hard surface auxiliary attachments must be completely covered by a jersey.
Equipment RULE 1-5-1b(1) Back pads and hard surface auxiliary attachments must be completely covered by a jersey. Jerseys shall be long enough to reach the top of the pants and shall be tucked in if longer.
Equipment Rules 1-5-4, 1-5-5, 3-5-10e, 3-6-2, 9-8-1h, 9-9 Tooth and mouth protectors that are completely clear or completely white are no longer illegal. Tooth and mouth protectors that have been chewed or altered so they no longer provide the necessary protection must be replaced. ILLEGAL
Defenseless Player Rule 2-32-16a
Defenseless Player Rules 2-32-16a; 9-4-3i(3) REFEREE ENTERPISES INC. 2012
Penalty Enforcement Options - Kicks
Penalty Enforcement Options - Kicks
Penalty Enforcement Options - Kicks
New Signals Rules 6-1-3b Penalty, 6-1-4 Penalty
National Federation of State High School Associations Recent Football - Rules Changes
Clipping RULES 2-17, 9-3-6, 9-3 penalty The exception that allowed clipping in the free-blocking zone has been eliminated. Clipping, blocking below the waist and blocking in the back are legal methods of bringing down a runner or a player pretending to be a runner.
POINT OF EMPHASIS Free-Blocking Zone Enforcement Blocking below the waist (A) and blocks in the back (B) are only legal while the free-blocking zone is in effect, both players were in the zone at the snap and contact is in the zone; and for blocking below the waist both players were on the line of scrimmage at the snap. For blocks in the back, only the offensive player must have been on the line of scrimmage at the snap. The contact becomes illegal when the ball has left the free-blocking zone.
Correcting a Down Error Rule 5-1-1b The referee shall correct the number of the next down prior to the ball becoming live after a new series of downs is awarded and prior to the declaration of the end of any period. A B C
National Federation of State High School Associations Dead-ball Penalty Enforcement (2015) - Rule 10-2-5 If both teams commit unsportsmanlike, non-player or dead-ball personal fouls prior to the completion of penalty administration for those fouls, the distance penalty for any of these fouls will offset
Targeting Rule 9-4-3m (New in 2014) Illegal Personal Contact Targeting is an act of taking aim and initiating contact to an opponent above the shoulders with the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow or shoulders. Targeting may be called for contact against any opponent, including the runner. Note that the passer in this play is also a defenseless player. Targeting is a 15-yard penalty for illegal personal contact. REFEREE ENTERPISES INC. 2012
Targeting Rules 2-20-2 (NEW); 9-4-3m (NEW) YES REFEREE ENTERPISES INC. 2012
Targeting Rules 2-20-2 (NEW); 9-4-3m (NEW) NOT NECESSARILY REFEREE ENTERPISES INC. 2012
Defenseless Player Rules 2-32-16 (NEW); 9-4-3i(3) A new definition for a defenseless player has been added. A defenseless player is a player who, because of his physical position and focus of concentration, is especially vulnerable to injury. 2015 added the wording excessive contact to unnecessary in defining illegal personal contact REFEREE ENTERPISES INC. 2012
Untimed Down Rules 3-3-3; 3-3-4 Live Ball Foul During the Down Penalty Accepted On Offense, or Defense REFEREE ENTERPISES INC. 2012
Free-Kick Formation Rules 6-1-3b (NEW); 6-1-3c (NEW) After the ready-for-play has been signaled and until the ball is kicked for a free kick, team K must 1. Have at least four players on either side of the kicker (2014) when the ball is kicked (2015) 2. No K players, with the exception of the kicker, may be more than five yards behind the kicking team s free kick line. The formation in the MechaniGram above becomes legal when the ball has been declared ready-for-play. The formation shown above becomes illegal when the ball has been declared ready-for-play. K3-K6 are all more than five yards from their free kick line REFEREE ENTERPISES INC. 2012
Force Rule 8-5-1b (NEW) K1 blocks R2 into the ball. The accidental touching of a loose ball by a player who was blocked into the ball by an opponent is ignored and does not constitute a new force. The result of this play is a touchback. REFEREE ENTERPISES INC. 2012
Roughing the Passer Rule 9-4-4 No defensive player shall charge into, or commit any illegal personal contact foul listed in Rule 9-4-3 against the passer who is standing still or fading back, because he is considered out of the play after the pass and has not moved to participate in the play. Grasping of the face mask is considered roughing the passer. 2015 Clarified the rule to include wording that an incidental face mask is not considered roughing REFEREE ENTERPISES INC. 2012
National Federation of State High School Associations 2018 Points of Emphasis 1. Proper Wearing & Use of Equipment 2. Pace of Play & Timing Issues 3. Enforcement of Penalties for Personal Fouls & Unsportsmanlike Conduct Fouls 4. Defenseless Player & Blindside Blocks 5. Unfair Acts
Proper Wearing & Use of Required Equipment A B
Pace of Play & Timing Issues
Enforcement of Penalties for Personal Fouls & Unsportsmanlike Conduct Fouls
Defenseless Players & Blindside Blocks
Unfair Acts Of course, it is impossible to list every unfair act that could take place. Deliberately violating the rules in the hope or expectation of not being detected is deplorable and indefensible, and should be penalized. To this end, the referee is given great discretion in penalizing unfair acts and may enforce any penalty he or she considers equitable, including the awarding of a score.