NFHS

2024 Rules Refresher Test / Concussion Course Info

Members:

This year's test is now available on our website to download, print and answer OFFLINE for review and studying purposes.

The test opens up online at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Website on Monday July 1, 2024, and must be completed and submitted by 11:59 PM on Monday, August 12, 2024.

In order to be certified for the coming season, all members must take and pass this test. The test must be passed with a minimum score of 80%, but each member is allowed two attempts to attain a passing grade. This test is offered ‘open book’ and members are encouraged to meet in groups/crews to discuss and complete the test.

In addition - as of July 1st, all concussion certificates for the 2023 season will no longer be valid; each member will need to go and recertify their concussion certificate and upload them to the NJFOA-North RefSec portal before the beginning of the season.

DO NOT TAKE THE CONCUSSION COURSE PRIOR TO JULY 1ST.

The link to the concussion course on NFHSLearn.com is here:

https://nfhslearn.com/courses/concussion-in-sports-2.

Registration and login is required on there before you are able to watch the videos and take the test for certification.

Home Team Uniform Requirements Clarified in High School Football Rules

Language in the 2024 NFHS Football Rules Book will be changed in an effort to ensure consistent interpretation of the rule regarding requirements for home team uniforms in high school football. Next season, all home team jerseys must be the same dark color(s) that clearly contrasts with white. 

This uniform change in Rule 1-5-1b(3) was recommended by the NFHS Football Rules Committee at its January 14-16 meeting in Indianapolis and subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors. The Football Rules Committee is composed of one member from each NFHS member state association that uses NFHS playing rules, along with representatives from the NFHS Coaches Association and NFHS Officials Association.

Previously, the rule regarding home team jerseys stated that the jerseys of the home team “shall be a dark color that clearly contrasts to white.” The revised rule will state that the jerseys of the home team “shall all be the same dark color(s) that clearly contrasts to white.” 

“We kind of had a loophole in the rule that we didn’t specify that everyone on the home team had to wear the same color dark jersey,” said Richard McWhirter, chair of the NFHS Football Rules Committee and assistant executive director of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association. “Even though you didn’t see a major issue with it, it was a loophole in the rule that could possibly be a major issue in the future if it wasn’t corrected.”

Interpreter Commentary on NFHS Rule 10

Welcome to the beginning of a new football season.

You will be picking up your rule book packets shortly. Here is ONE WORD OF CAUTION:

While there are several rule changes/updates for the 2023 season, the one that stands out is the new rule on penalty enforcement. The Federation Editorial Committee did a less than stellar job on this one in the rule book. Not only are the updated rules 10-4, 10-5, and deletion of 10-6 (all highlighted in gray) basically incomprehensible, the rules as written— and the accompanying table — contain errors. They have made this rule book update error-ridden and much more complicated than necessary. I have confirmed this with members of the NFHS Rules Committee who concur with my assessment.. 

I have been working with Rules Committee members and thought leaders across the country to develop a better means of introducing our members to these new enforcement procedures. Several methodologies have been discussed and we have all come to a consensus on delivery. But for now:

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO READ OR INTERNALIZE THE NEW HIGHLIGHTED RULE 10 SECTIONS. I will present at our General Interpretations meeting in August a much more streamlined and understandable means internalizing the new enforcement rules.

Please note that all other rule changes for 2023 are correct and written correctly in the book. Feel free to begin studying and understanding those. It is ONLY the rule 10 changes that present a problem.

About The Interpreter:

Bob Masucci is a retired information technology contracts manager. Residing in Clinton Township, NJ, Bob is a 43-year football official. During these years as a top official, he has officiated in countless state playoff games, including an infintesmal amount of NJSIAA State Finals.

As an active member and current President of the North Jersey chapter of the New Jersey Football Officials Association, he has participated in the training and mentoring of new officials and has independently developed a wide array training materials that are used by Referee Magazine and countless football officials associations nationwide.

Changes in Basic Spot for Penalty Enforcement Headline 2023 High School Football Rules Changes

“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. I believe this change will make the rule clearer for coaches and easier for game officials to administer.”

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 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.

Revised Intentional Grounding, Chop Block Rules Headline 2022 High School Football Rules Changes

A new rules exception that allows a passer to intentionally throw an incomplete forward pass for the purpose of conserving yardage, and the redefining of the term “chop block” – both of which are intended to minimize risk of injury – are the two most notable rules changes coming to high school football for the 2022 season.

These changes stand out among the seven total recommendations brought forth by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Football Rules Committee, which held its annual rules meeting January 23-25 at the Conrad Hotel in downtown Indianapolis. The NFHS Board of Directors subsequently approved all seven of the committee’s suggestions.

“With this year’s rules changes, the committee once again showed its focus on minimizing risk in high school football,” said Bob Colgate, NFHS Director of Sports and Sports Medicine and liaison to the NFHS Football Rules Committee. “By expanding the parameters for a legal forward pass and redefining the chop block so it can be more easily officiated by game officials, the committee has taken measures to mitigate two potentially risky situations within the game.”

Rule 7-5-2 EXCEPTION 2 now permits a player to purposefully throw an incomplete forward pass without warranting an intentional grounding penalty provided the passer is outside of “the pocket” (lateral boundary of the free-blocking zone) and the pass reaches the neutral zone or the extension of the neutral zone beyond the sideline.

“The question (with this rule) has always been, ‘if the defense makes a good play, are we bailing out the offense by letting the quarterback throw the ball away?’” said Richard McWhirter, Chair of the NFHS Football Rules Committee and Assistant Executive Director of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association. “This year, I think the committee felt the wellbeing of the passers and not subjecting them to extra hits was worth changing the rule.”

An alteration to Rule 2-3-8 addressed the new definition of a chop block, which is now described as “a combination block by two or more teammates against an opponent other than the runner, with or without delay, where one of the blocks is below the waist and one of the blocks is above the waist.” Previously, the defensive player’s knee was used to determine the high and low components of a chop block.

“This is going to strengthen the rule and it’s also going to help the game officials,” said McWhirter. “I think they're going to be able to enforce this rule better than they have in the past because determining ‘below the knee’ and ‘above the knee’ is tough to do. I think it’s really going to improve the game.”

Players will be able to wear the number 0 as a jersey number starting in 2022, as the range of acceptable numbers listed in Rule 1-4-3 was expanded from 1-99 to 0-99. However, any number preceded by the digit zero will be illegal.

Pages