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Changes in Basic Spot for Penalty Enforcement Headline 2023 High School Football Rules Changes - 2/3/2023

A notable change to Rule 10 of the NFHS Football Rules Book will eliminate the excessive penalty enforcements for offensive fouls that occur behind the line of scrimmage in high school football.

This change in Rule 10-4 (Basic Spots) is one of seven revisions recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Football Rules Committee at its January 8-10 meeting in Indianapolis. All changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors for the 2023 high school football season.

In a move to achieve one of the committee’s fundamental tasks of maintaining a balance between offense and defense, this revision stipulates the basic spot for enforcement of fouls behind the line of scrimmage is the previous spot rather than the spot of the foul. Current penalties for illegal kicking, batting and participation fouls, as well as provisions for offensive fouls occurring in the end zone that may result in a safety, remain intact.

As an example, with the change in Rule 10-4, a team on offense at its own 40-yard line that is called for holding 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage at its own 30-yard line, would be faced with first and 20 from its 30-yard line rather than the almost insurmountable task of first and 30 from its own 20-yard line.

“This is an excellent rule change that the majority of game officials and coaches requested and that our NFHS Football Rules Committee members approved unanimously,” said Richard McWhirter, chair of the NFHS Football Rules Committee and assistant executive director of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA). “I believe this change will make the rule clearer for coaches and easier for game officials to administer.”

In a change that addresses another goal of every NFHS rules committee – risk minimization – additional criteria were approved to help identify players who should be defined as defenseless receivers related to the application of unnecessary or excessive contact.

An addition (d) to Rule 2-32-16 states that another example of a defenseless player includes a receiver, as previously defined in the rule, including the person intercepting the pass, who is forcefully contacted by an opponent that is not 1) incidental contact as a result of making a play on the ball, 2) initiated with open hands, or 3) an attempt to tackle by wrapping arm(s) around the receiver.

The committee also approved a clarification to the intentional grounding rule change implemented last year. The change in Rule 7-5-2EXCEPTION permits the exception for intentional grounding to the first and only player to possess the ball after the snap ends.

A revision in Rule 2-29-1 clarifies when a player is inbounds after being out of bounds. While the committee approved additional language for clarification, there is no change to any foul or subsequent penalty provisions or any rules related to illegal participation or the provisions regarding eligibility to catch a pass.

One change was approved in Rule 1-5-3 regarding player equipment, specifically player towels, which now may contain one manufacturer’s logo and/or one school logo, neither exceeding 2¼ square inches. Towels must be a solid color, but now do not have to be the same color for each player. Towels may not, however, be the color of the ball or penalty flag.

In Rule 7-5 (TABLE) regarding forward pass interference, the word “intentional” was removed, which puts the rule in line with how it is already enforced, which is a 15-yard penalty.

A final change was approved in the rules differences for six-player football, which along with eight-player and nine-player use the basic 11-player football rules with exceptions. An exception in Rule 7 was approved for six-player football stating that “a direct forward handoff may be made during a scrimmage down before a change of possession, provided both players are in or behind the neutral zone unless it is to the snapper.”

This change allows the ball to be handed forward on a running play, including to the guards/ends, while prohibiting handing the ball to the snapper, provided both players are behind the neutral zone.

“The NFHS Football Rules Committee continually strives to clarify the playing rules for optimal game efficiency,” McWhirter said. “These changes exemplify that goal.”

The NFHS Football Rules Committee is composed of one representative from each of the NFHS member state associations that use NFHS football rules, along with a representative from the NFHS Coaches Association, NFHS Officials Association and NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee.

A complete listing of the football rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Football.”

According to the 2021-22 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, 11-player football is the most popular high school sport for boys with 973,792 participants in 13,733 schools nationwide. In addition, there were 34,935 boys who participated in 6-, 8- and 9-player football, along with 3,633 girls in all four versions of the game for a grand total of 1,012,360.

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  • Sunday, November 15, 2015 2:49 PM | Deleted user

    VOLLEYBALL FINAL FOUR - Rick Swenson

    FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME - Bruce Crow, Walt Richmond, Matt Matter, Gordeon Stengel, Tyler Johnston

  • Saturday, October 31, 2015 8:08 AM | Deleted user

    State lawmakers say Missouri needs more high schools referees

    October 29, 2015 by Alisa Nelson

    A state House committee has suggested the Missouri State High School Activities Association work to recruit more referees, and see that they get more training. The association’s Executive Director Kerwin Urhahn understands the need for more refs, but he said recruitment is difficult.

    House committee reviewing MSHSAA

    House committee reviewing MSHSAA

    “People are not willing to become an official because they get harassed, yelled and screamed at. They can do no right,” said Urhahn. “We see that revolving door. The thing is, we try to talk to our schools about the fact that if they run off the officials they can’t play games. They have to recruit young folks to try and do this. They have to support the officials, not yell and scream at them.”

    Representative Paul Fitzwater, a ref himself, says proper training of referees is important. “You can’t train someone to become a good official. It’s called experience. You have to referee. You have to get out there and do it. It doesn’t happen overnight,” said Fitzwater. “I think one of the real problems is we have Athletic Directors that don’t have officials. If you’ve got a license, a heartbeat and a shirt, you’re good to go.”

    MSHSAA Executive Director Kerwin Urhahn

    MSHSAA Executive Director Kerwin Urhahn

    Urhahn said the Association will work on the quality and number of refs it employs.

    “All of our officials are not perfect. They’re human beings. I hope for my sake, they all try and do the very best they can,” said Urhahn. “That’s what I expect of them, is to give their very best effort every time they walk out there. Those kids who are playing have worked hard to get to that point. They want to give their very best.”

    Urhahn said the shortage of referees is statewide. He said soccer referees are needed most.

    The committee continues meeting today discussing whether MSHSAA has followed the recommendations of a 2007 committee, most of which focused on student safety and compliance with Missouri’s open records and meetings law.


  • Wednesday, July 29, 2015 6:59 AM | Deleted user

    Several SLOA members contributed to this article covering NASO and Officiate Missouri Day. Here is the Link

  • Monday, May 18, 2015 6:40 PM | Bill Franz

    All, You know how we count down the number of shopping days before Christmas? Well guess what, there are ONLY 95 days left before the first week of football.  If you have not started your conditioning program, NOW is the time. DO NOT WAIT. Remember, every year, the players are 17 & 18 years old. And, YOU ARE A YEAR OLDER!!! Start to get in shape.

    And, while you are in football mode, get out those 2014 rule books. Take 30 minutes a day to study the rules. I recommend working through the case book. Read for 30 minutes while you are at lunch. 

    Remember, only 95 days left!!!

  • Wednesday, May 13, 2015 6:00 PM | Jim Rosen

    Congratulations to Bruce Hook for being inducted to the St. Louis Metro Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.  The induction ceremony and banquet was this past Monday and it is quite an honor for an official to be recognized with such high distinction by the coaching community. Thanks to Bruce for his accomplishments on and off the field for the betterment of the sport of high school football and of its student athletes.  He is in very good company with the following other SLOA members who have been previously inducted to the SLMFCA HAll of Fame:

    Earl Jansen

    Ed Tschannen

    Gene Barth

    Frank Hauff

    Claire Houston

    Cliff Kruse

    Bob  Hantak

    John Horton

    John McArthur

    Leo Hylla

    Also of note, John Schell was awarded The Larry Kinbom PMA award by the same coaches association for his 63 years of service to the high school sporting community.

    Congratulations to Bruce and John on this well deserved honor and recognition.

  • Wednesday, April 29, 2015 7:04 AM | David Fuchs

    Please join me in celebrating our two newest Life Membership Award recipients - Mary Beth Barylski and John Horton. Each was nominated and Unanimously Approved at the recent Board Meeting. Congratulations on their well deserved honor!

  • Monday, April 13, 2015 10:33 AM | Deleted user

    Officials,

    We, Metro Area Officials Committee, come to you today simply as a point of information as we head toward the 2015-2016 school year. The Metro Area Officials Association is made up of members from the following conferences...

    • Suburban Conference 
    • Gateway Athletic Conference 
    • Metro Catholic 
    • Metro League 
    • Metro Womens Athletic Association 
    • Archdiocese Athletic Association 
    • Jefferson County Athletic 
    • Public High League 
    • South Conference Athletic Association 
    • Independents

    There is a lot of ambiguity regarding how assignors and assigning associations have conducted business in the past and how it impacts officials. We, the Metro Area Officials Committee, met with all assignors and assigning associations on March 16th at Westminster Christian Academy to go over the attached documents.  

    The information and guidelines set forth for all assignors and assigning associations were derived from MSHSAA expectations and several months of meetings from our committee members.  

    The committee feels strongly that these guidelines protect the member schools, assignors, associations, and officials.

    There will be two informational meetings put on by the committee to help answer any questions or concerns officials might have regarding the attached documents and how it might impact you. The first meeting is April 16th at Francis Howell Central at 7:00 pm. The second meeting is April 21st at MICDS at 7:00 pm.  

    I am going to list the items below that are most pertinent to you, the officials, as we move forward (entire list of requirements is attached). We feel that most of these changes will have no impact on officials directly, except potentially more money in your pocket and the ability to work for multiple assignors.

    • Officials must be registered with MSHSAA to officiate any contest. 
    • Officials must have a contract between yourself and the home school. The assignors will take care of this but wanted to make you aware. Those assignors using arbiter or similar type of assigning system will have the contracts created and signed for electronically. 
    • Officials are to receive the full game fee/stipend per the fee structure established by the Metro Area Officials Committee. NO PORTION OR PERCENTAGE IS TO BE TAKEN OUT BY THE ASSIGNOR OR ASSIGNING ASSOCIATION. 
    • Officials cannot be intimidated or discouraged from accepting assignments from other assignors OR SCHOOLS. Schools can contract their own officials if they choose to do so. 
    • Officials cannot be required to pay membership to an organization to be considered for assignments.



    Brian Kessler
    Activities Director

    Link to Guidelines PDF

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