Football rules changes II -- coaches take note

[White hat]

In my first post regarding rules changes I had some concerns with the new rule regarding concussion symptoms and the seeming need for officials to make medical decisions. After clarifying this with both the VHSL and one of the people who debated and enacted the rule in the NFHS office, I think this is a far better rule, but it is going to put a much larger burden on coaches.

Because concussions are a major concern, if an official sees a player display any symptom of concussion -- appearantly unconscious, disoriented, confused, wobbly, vomiting -- then he tells the coach the player cannot return until medically cleared. Once that's done, it's out of the hands of the officials and now completely under the responsibility of the coach. The officials DO NOT have to be informed of his return, DO NOT have to be given a note from a doctor (which is part of the current rule) and need not worry about it any longer.

The rule that the player must be medically cleared is a procedural matter for the coaches. Also, the change will allow trainers who are not M.D.s to clear a player, as I understand it. Someone who knows how to test for a concussion can then make a decision and the coaches and teams act accordingly.

Another change regarding medical clearance involves doctors notes when players are wearing a cast. No longer will a copy of a doctor's note need to be given to the officials. From now on, as long as the cast is properly padded, a player can play.

Finally, a change was made that was not mentioned in the original release, which is surprising because it could have an enormous affect of coaches. Last year a new sideline rule was put into effect making the first 2 yaards around the field as a restricted zone. Coaches can step in there between plays, but during a live ball they must be back in the team box. If that is violated, the first incident is a warning, followed by a 5-yard penalty and, on 3rd offense, a 15-yarder.

In cases where a coach contacts an official in this area, a warning was issued. This year, anytime an official is contacted in this zone it is an AUTOMATIC 15 yard penalty, unsportsmanlike conduct charged to the head coach, regardless of who made the contact. Two unsportsmanlikes is an ejection.

 

[Hampton Roads 6]

Contacting an Official ???

Is this "making physical contact" or "saying something to official" ?

If it's "verbal", I look for a lot of flags on sideline.

 

[Jimsthman]

Re: Contacting an Official ???

Physical contact. The restricted zone has been an NCAA rule for several years(the physical contact has been also). Glad the restricted zone was added by FED. Good to hear also that FED is now defining "contact in the zone." RZ(despite pre-season concerns) worked very well last year and in no games that I officiated did my crew have to go to an actual yardage walkoff to enforce...its a safety thing--as a wing official I have to be able to sprint downfield, parallel to the sideline without having to worry about running in to anybody as I keep my eyes on the field. As the high school game has gotten faster (and offenses spread the field) wing officials simply must be able to work from out of bounds as opposed to working on the field.
There is a general trend to bring the 3 major football rule sets (FED, NCAA, NFL) into allignment over time.
This post was edited on 3/31 9:16 AM by Jimsthman

 

[Fadamor]

We just had our VHSL State Rules Clinic yesterday and some additional clarification was given.

Re: concussions - There is an obvious effort to get the officials out of the practice of amateur diagnosis. When a player is sent to the sidelines the officials have been instructed to NOT use the word "concussion" when talking to the head coach, and instead only say that the player needs to be looked at and describe the symptoms that caused the officials to come to that conclusion. The coaches are to take this as a heads-up that this player needs to be looked at before he can go back in the game. VHSL is currently waiting for the Commonwealth to finish up their State Law on the subject before deciding who are the "qualified medical personnel" that can evaluate a player before sending him back in. As of right now, that would NOT include the Athletic Trainers, but the State Law may change that.

Officials no longer get any sort of doctor's note for any player's medical condition. Umpires will still check to see if casts and braces meet the rules, but they don't need a note from the doctor saying the player is cleared to play. (Let's be honest, how would we really know if it was an authentic note or a forgery?)

Last year, a coach in the restricted area went through the "warning, 5-yards, 15-yards" penalty progression even if they collided with an official during the play. Now, this is still true if the coach and official manage to avoid collision during a live ball. If, however, the coach and official collide in the restricted zone during a live ball, the head coach is assessed the 15-yard unsportsmanlike if a member of the team or team staff was the one who collided with the offical (if it was a photographer or reporter, we just grit our teeth, order the reporter/photographer to the other side of the restraining line and hope they get the point). As a wing, I'm usually flying down the sideline looking IN towards the field and keeping the sideline in the bottom part of my vision to avoid drifting into the team box or over the restraining line. I'm not looking in the direction I'm running. We rely on the 2 yards between the sideline and the restraining line to be clear of obstructions (i.e. coaches, team members, team support members, reporters, photographers) from one goalline to the other.

To those who think this is "ticky-tacky", I refer you to the case where a coach and official collided, putting the coach in a coma. His insurance company paid out, then tried suing the crew of officials for not keeping the restricted area clear. The suit has been tossed as frivilous, but the insurance company has vowed to appeal. Collisions without protective gear are dangerous, people.
This post was edited on 7/18 4:19 PM by Fadamor
This post was edited on 7/18 5:34 PM by Fadamor

 

[White hat]

A step more on the lawsuit. The coach had to retire because of a brain injury. His workman's comp insurer sued the officials. Among the complaints in their case was that the official was "running, and failing to control his speed" and that he was watching the play on the field and not looking directly in front of him.

See, if guys are going ot get sued for doing EXACTLY WHAT THEY"RE SUPPOSED TO, the NCAA and the NFHS is going to take all necessary steps to keep that from happening again.

The lawsuit was tossed as frivolous, but that was after defending themselves cost that crew their savings and lots of their property. The most recent action was a court actually fined the insurance company $400,000 and awarded it to the officials, but what are the chances that check will ever be cut?

We had two yardage penalties last season. In one case an assistant coach somply didn't think the rule applied to him. in the other a head coach found himself in the way when the field flipped on an interception, then went running like a wildman down the sideline when he had a runner break a long run. That was more funny than anything and he basically told the wing official that he deserved a flag and it would be worth it. The kicked made the PAT from 5 yards back with about 35 yards to spare.

 

[Fadamor]

We got an update to the State Rules Clinic Powerpoint presentation:
If a team non-player is in the restricted area during a live ball (and did not make contact with an official), the penalty progression is:
Sideline Warning
Sideline Interference (5 yards)
Sideline Interference (15 yards and USC assessed against head coach)
Sideline Interference (15 yards and 2nd USC against head coach - head coach ejected)

I think we had to mark off a 5 yard sideline interference ONCE last year. We never had a 15-yard sideline interference. The coaches did a pretty good job keeping their sideline discipline intact.