2014 RULES CHANGES AND POINTS OF EMPHASIS

THE RULE CHANGES GAME OFFICIALS AUTHORITY ( 1-1-7 ) TARGETING ( 2-20-2 & 9-4-3m ) ILLEGAL KICK ( 2-24-9 ) DEFENSELESS PLAYER ( 2-32-16 & 9-4-3i(3) ) END OF PERIOD PROCEDURE ( 3-3-3 & 3-3-4 ) FREE KICK FORMATIONS ( 6-1-3 b & c ) CREATING A NEW FORCE ( 8-5-1b ) ROUGHING THE PASSER ( 9-4-4 )

GAME OFFCIALS AUTHORITY RULE 1-1-7 The game officials shall assume authority for the contest, including penalizing unsportsmanlike acts, 30 minutes prior to the scheduled game time – an earlier time if required by state association – or as soon thereafter as they are able to be present. THE MHSAA HAS MADE NO CHANGE REQUIRING THE OFFCIALS TO BE ON THE FIELD MORE THAN 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO GAME TIME. NOTE- If your crew goes out onto the field more than 30 minutes prior to game time then you have assumed authority for that game at that time.

ILLEGAL KICK RULE 2-24-9 An illegal kick is any intentional striking of the ball with the knee, lower leg, or foot which does not comply with Articles 3 and 4. When the ball is loos following an illegal kick, it retains the same status as prior to the illegal kick. Article 3 covers legal free kicks. Article 4 covers legal scrimmage kicks. The change here is to cover that 1 in 10,000 chance that a player would illegally kick a ball that was not already loose.

END OF PERIOD PROCEDURE RULE 3-3-3 A period shall be extended by an untimed down if one of the following occurred during a down in which time expires: A. There was a foul by either team and the penalty is accepted, except for those fouls listed in 3-3-4b. B. There was a double foul. C. There was an inadvertent whistle. D. If a touchdown was scored, the try is attempted unless the touchdown is scored during the last down of the 4th period and the point(s) would not affect the outcome of the game or playoff qualifying. If (a), (b), (c), or (d) occurs during an untimed down, the procedure is repeated.

END OF PERIOD PROCEDURE RULE 3-3-4 A period shall not be extended by an untimed down if one of the following occurred during a down in which time expires: A. When the defense fouls during a successful try/field goal and the offended team accepts the result of the play with enforcement of the penalty at the succeeding spot. B. There was a foul by either team and the penalty is accepted for: 1. Unsportsmanlike Conduct fouls, 2. Non player fouls, 3. Fouls that specify loss of down, 4. Fouls that are enforced on the subsequent kickoff, 5. Fouls for which enforcement by rule, result in a Safety.

CREATING A NEW FORCE RULE 8-5-1 Responsibility for forcing the ball from the field of play across a line is attributed to the player who carries, snaps, passes, fumbles or kicks the ball, unless a new force is applied to a grounded backward pass, kick or fumble. A. The muffing or batting of a pass, kick or fumble in flight is not considered a new force; and B. The accidental touching of a loose ball by a player who was blocked into the ball is ignored and does not constitute a new force.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE FIRST 4 RULE CHANGES ????

FREE KICK FORMATIONS RULE 6-1-3 After the ball is marked ready for play, and until the ball is kicked, K must meet the following formation requirements: A. At least four (4) K must be on each side of the kicker. B. No K players, with the exception of the kicker, may be more than five yards behind the kicking team’s free-kick line. A player satisfies this rule when no foot is on or beyond the line 5 yards behind K’s free-kick line. If one player is more than 5 yards behind the restraining line and any other player kicks the ball, it is a foul.

FREE KICK FORMATIONS WHAT WE NEED TO WATCH FOR: 1. MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE AT LEAST FOUR (4) PLAYERS ON EACH SIDE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY MOVE THE BALL, TOWARDS OR TO THE HASH MARKS. 2. MAKE SURE THEY DON’T SHIFT GUYS FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER ON THE RUN UP TO THE KICK OFF. 3. AT LEAST 10 PLAYERS ARE INSIDE (WITH BOTH FEET) OF THE LINE 5 YARDS FROM THE FREE-KICK LINE. (THIS WILL NORMALLY BE THE 35 YARD LINE) 4. ENSURE THAT IF THE 11TH PLAYER IS BEYOND THE 5 YARDS FROM THE FREE- KICK LINE THAT HE IS THE PLAYER WHO KICKS THE BALL. THIS IS AN ENCROACHMENT FOUL, SO IT IS A DEAD BALL FOUL. KILL THE PLAY, KILL THE PLAY – NOTHING GOOD CAN HAPPEN, BY WAITING TILL THE PLAY IS OVER, KILL THE PLAY. THE PENALTY IS FIVE YARDS FROM THE PREVIOUIS SPOT. THE SIGNALS GIVEN ARE (S7)-DEAD BALL & (S18)-ENCROACHMENT.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THE NEW FREE KICK FORMATION RULES ????

TARGETING RULE 2-20-2 Targeting is an act of taking aim and initiating contact to an opponent above his shoulders with the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow or shoulders. RULE 9-4-3m No player or non-player shall target an opponent. This is an Illegal Personal Contact foul. It could be a Live or Dead ball foul. The penalty is 15 yards, AND as with any Personal Foul if deemed flagrant could warrant a disqualification.

TARGETING TARGETING IS A “MUST CALL” SAFETY FOUL. Targeting => May even be called when the contact is against the runner. In order to gauge the intent of the player, game officials must be diligent in observing the tackler/blocker in all related actions to the tackle /block. Targeting an opponent is unnecessary and this rule must be enforced to minimize the risk of injury in high school football. TARGETING IS A “MUST CALL” SAFETY FOUL.

DEFENSELESS PLAYER RULE 2-32-16 A defenseless player is a player who, because of his physical position and focus of concentration, is especially vulnerable to injury. RULE 9-4-3-i-3 No player or non-player shall: make illegal helmet contact against a defenseless opponent. This is an Illegal Personal Contact foul. It could be a Live or Dead ball foul. The penalty is 15 yards, AND as with any Personal Foul if deemed flagrant could warrant a disqualification.

DEFENSELESS PLAYER Examples of players that could be deemed defenseless: 1. A Quarterback moving down the line who has handed or pitched the ball to a teammate, and then makes no attempt to further participate in play. 2. A Kicker who is in the act of kicking the ball, or who has not had a reasonable amount of time to regain balance after the kick. 3. A passer while in the act of passing the ball, or who has not had a reasonable length of time to participate after releasing the ball. 4. A pass receiver whose concentration is on the ball and the contact is not related to attempting to catch the ball. 5. A pass receiver who has clearly relaxed when he missed the pass or feels he can no longer catch the pass.

EXAMPLES (CONT’D) 6. A kick returner attempting to catch a kick. 7. A kick receiver who is immediately contacted after catching the ball. 8. A player already on the ground. 9. Any player that has relaxed once the ball became dead. 10. A ball carrier already in the grasp of an opponent and whose forward progress has been stopped. 11. Any player who receives a blind side block. 12. Any player who is obviously out of the play. Defenseless players are not limited to just those provided in these examples.

QUESTIONS ON NEW RULES FOR TARGETING & DEFENSELESS PLAYER ???

ROUGHING THE PASSER RULE 9-4-4 Roughing the passer. Defensive players must make a definite effort to avoid charging into a passer, who has thrown the ball from in or behind the neutral zone, after it is clear the ball has been thrown. No defensive player shall commit any illegal personal contact foul listed in 9-4-3 against the passer. Any of the 13 acts listed in rule 9-4-3 as Illegal Personal Contact committed against the passer are now Roughing the Passer. That means they get the automatic First Down, and if the succeeding spot is beyond the original line of scrimmage, the enforcement can be tacked on.

ROUGHING THE PASSER THE ILLEGAL PERSONAL CONTACT FOULS ARE: 1. Kicking an opponent 8. Face Masking 2. Late Hit 9. Illegal Helmet Contact 3. Piling On 10. Striking with Hand/Arm etc. 4. Hurdling 11. Horse Collar Tackle 5. Use body of teammate to 12. Contact against a player whose gain an advantage. Helmet has come completely off. 6. Throw helmet to trip 13. Target an opponent 7. Unnecessary Roughness

ROUGHING THE PASSER REMINDERS: Passer does not always have to be the Quarterback. Has to be a legal forward pass. The old rule for Roughing the Passer is still there and continues to be in effect, they have just expanded the rule so that any Illegal Personal Contact against the passer, is now Roughing the Passer.

QUESTIONS ON ROUGHING THE PASSER ???

2014 NFHS POINTS OF EMPHASIS

1. STATE OF THE GAME 2. RISK MINIMIZATION 3. TARGETING 4 1. STATE OF THE GAME 2. RISK MINIMIZATION 3. TARGETING 4. DEFENSELESS PLAYER 5. CONCUSSIONS 6. CHANGING THE MINDSET