2017 Rule changes

[Herdcyclones]

Just got done going thru the training video for coaches and officials from the Association. As an official, I was a little more interested in the rules changes, but there were some administrative notes too.

For playoff tiebreak, when it gets down to "alphabetical", the new letter is "D", and it goes in reverse from there. Wasn't the letter "H" last year? So the Eagle Groves, Esthervilles and Emmetsburgs of the world are SOL this year.

There was also a discussion of using weeks 3-7 to average points for districts that have a team that has dropped football. I think that applies to 2A-D3 this year, not sure if there are any others. Didn't make a lot of sense to me, but couldn't pause the video to digest it.

As for rules, nothing too big. One kinda funny, that is not funny. If a ball carrier with a prosthetic arm, has his arm come off, the ball is dead at that spot. Kinda like a helmet. Still funny to say, "Ball is dead, runner's arm came off."

Pop up kicks are now illegal on kickoffs. Dribblers, or dribblers with a big pop are still legal, but can't immediately pop it up on driving it into the ground.

Non-contact face guarding of a receiver is no longer illegal. That is one I expect the fans to hoot about a bunch. The most likely case, as I see it, is when a d-back gets beat, and as he is catching up, sticks both arms up with his back to the ball. Legal now. (assuming no contact).

In the last 2 minutes of each half, the offended team on a penalty has clock start/stop options. Most common I would think, would be an offense, with the lead, and a rolling clock, does a false start. Previously, the offense would lose the 5 yards, and the white hat would start the play/game clock, burning even more time. The defense will now be able to keep the clock stopped after the penalty. (I like this rule change).

More reminders about the uniform change for 2021. Home can no longer wear white, and home must wear dark enough grey to be "dark".

Blindside blocks must be initiated with open hands.

Those are it off the top of my head.

 

[IACentralHawk73]

Where did the prosthetic arm scenario happen, I can't believe that?

 

[KidSilverhair]

For playoff tiebreak, when it gets down to "alphabetical", the new letter is "D", and it goes in reverse from there. Wasn't the letter "H" last year? So the Eagle Groves, Esthervilles and Emmetsburgs of the world are SOL this year.

If I recall correctly, last year's preseason manual said the list would start with "J" ... but when the postseason manual came out it said it started with "K." Those might not have been the exact letters, but I do remember the state couldn't even keep their list straight between the preseason and postseason manuals.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Where did the prosthetic arm scenario happen, I can't believe that?

It has to have happened somewhere for this to be a rule. Don't know if it ever happened in Iowa, but this seems like a pre-emptive rule change, which makes sense.

 

[adambadger]

2017 Rule Changes:

1-3-1h (NEW): Added that commercial advertising is not permitted on the ball.

Rationale: The ball cannot have commercial advertising added to the surface. The only permissible items on the ball are the ball manufacturer’s name and/or logo; school name, logo and/or mascot; conference name and/or logo; state association name and/or logos; and NFHS name and/or logos.

1-5-1b(3): Further clarifies that the jersey of the home team shall be a dark color clearly contrasting to the white jersey required for the visiting team.

Rationale: Home game jersey specifications were further revised to provide schools and manufacturers additional clarification regarding the current trend of utilizing lighter gray shades. The implementation date of 2021 affords schools and manufacturers the opportunity to ensure that newer dark-colored jerseys will clearly contrast with white jerseys. The requirement for contrasting colors to white is not a new rule, and this new clarification will allow changes to be made during normal replacement cycles.

1-5-1a(2) NOTE, 1-5-4: This change now permits any of the game officials to accompany the referee to meet with the head coach for equipment verification.

Rationale: Member state associations may determine the game official who is to accompany the referee during the required pre-game meeting with each head coach.

2-3-10 (NEW), 9-4-3n (NEW), 9-4 PENALTY: Added a new definition for a blindside block and specifies a penalty for an illegal blindside block.

Rationale: Continuing with the focus on risk minimization, the committee created a definition for a blindside block. This block involves contact by a blocker against an opponent who, because of physical positioning and focus of concentration, is vulnerable to injury. Unless initiated with open hands, it is a foul for excessive and unnecessary contact when the block is forceful and outside of the free-blocking zone.

2-16-2h: Clarified that illegal participation fouls by the receiving team occurring during the kick are now enforced under post-scrimmage kick fouls.

Rationale: Illegal participation fouls by the receiving team occurring during the kick are now enforced under post-scrimmage kick fouls. Illegal substitution and illegal participation fouls by the receiving team occurring at the snap continue to be enforced from the previous spot.

2-24-10 (NEW), 6-1-11 (NEW), 6-1 PENALTY: Added a new definition for a pop-up kick and specifies a penalty for a pop-up kick.

Rationale: Continuing with the committee’s efforts to minimize risk, a pop-up kickoff has been defined. A pop-up kick is a free kick in which the kicker drives the ball immediately to the ground, the ball strikes the ground once and goes into the air in the manner of a ball kicked directly off the tee. Such kicks will be penalized as a dead-ball free-kick infraction.

2-32-16: Expands the definition of a defenseless player by incorporating specific examples.

Rationale: The committee adopted specific examples of a defenseless player. By adding these examples, the committee continues to focus on risk minimization and responded to requests on the annual NFHS football rules questionnaire from participating coaches, game officials and state association representatives.

3-4-7 (NEW): Added a new option to the offended team to start the clock on the snap for an accepted penalty inside the last two minutes of either half.

Rationale: The committee added an option for the offended team on an accepted penalty inside the last two minutes of either half. The referee continues to have the authority to start or stop the clock if a team attempts to conserve or consume time illegally.

4-2-2l (NEW): Specifies that the ball is declared dead if a prosthetic limb comes completely off the runner.

Rationale: With this change, the ball becomes dead when a prosthetic limb comes completely off the runner.

7-1-6: Now stipulates that it is encroachment to strike the ball or the snapper’s hand/arm prior to the snapper releasing the ball.

Rationale: Defensive players are restricted from contacting the ball or the snapper’s hand(s) or arm(s) until the snapper has released the ball.

7-5-10: Removes non-contact face guarding from the pass interference restrictions.

Rationale: This change eliminates the previous foul for non-contact face guarding forward-pass interference.

2017 EDITORIAL CHANGES

Facilities Statement; 1-3-2; 1-5-1a(1); 1-5-1a(2) NOTE; 1-5-2b; 1-5-3b(6); 1-5-3c(2); 1-5-5; 1-6-1; 1-6-2; 2-5-3; 2-41-3; 2-41-5; 3-4-8; 3-5-7f; 3-5-8b(2); 3-5-10b; 3-5-10c; 4-2-2k; 7-5-6a; 9-3 PENALTY; 9-4-3k; 9-8-1h; 10-5-1c; FOOTBALL FUNDAMENTALS – VI-2; PENALTY SUMMARY; INDEX.

2017 POINTS OF EMPHASIS

Responsibility on Players to Avoid Illegal Contact

Illegal Helmet Contact

Sideline Management and Control, Professional Communication Between Coaches and Game Officials

Proper Enforcement of Penalties for Violations of the Equipment Rules

 

[KidSilverhair]

I think the changes that fans will notice the most are the blindside block calls and the face-guarding. People have been used to face-guarding getting flagged for years, I can already hear the yelling from the stands when a defender throws up his arms in front of a receiver and there's no PI call.

The blindside block thing is going to call back a LOT of big plays, not just kick/interception returns, but a lot of big gainers with blocks away from the ball. I get that it's for player safety (one of my fondest high school memories is leveling a linebacker teammate during practice because he was looking the other way), but it's going to take getting used to by the players. Until they start using open hands instead of shoulder blocks, the yellow flags will fall like rain.