The NFHS released the rules changes for next season and I see trouble ahead.
The actual wording has not been announced, just the gist of the situation and there is a HUGE change that I see causing serious issues:
There will no longer be an automatic first down on defensive pass interference.
For several years now there have been calls to remove the loss-of-down stipulation of offensive pass interference, but even though every other code has no LOD in this situation, the NFHS thought it was a balance with defensive interference's automatic firs down. This year the decision was made to eliminate the loss of down factor as too severe, but to maintain the balance, the automatic first down provision was also eliminated.
I really don't like this because the NFHS will be the only code where this is the case and few people will have any idea. In cases where a DPI is called on a play that has more than 15 yards to gain, failing to award the first down will cause problems. (I've already been in situations where fans who watch college football expect automatic first downs on facemask and other personal foul penalties and get very upset when they are not awarded, per NFHS rules.)
The other implication here involved the endzone. If a team is close to scoring, there is no reason NOT to interfere with receivers and give up a penalty that's half the distance to the goal line and replay the down.
I predict this rule will be in effect one year. Hope that's all it is.
The funny thing is, the Fed buried this nugget halfway down the press release, opting to highlight changes to the rule about helmets coming off.
Last year a new rule required players whose helmet came off during play, without a foul by the opponent to cause it, to sit out a play. God change. No problems encountered with the rule and it cut down on the players wearing helmets in an unsafe (loose) way so they would fly off for dramatic effect.
If the helmet comes off a ball-carrier, ball becomes dead and play is over. (no change).
Beginning this season, if a helmet comes off a player without the ball, he can no longer participate. To keep playing is a 15-yard illegal participation foul. Furthermore, to engage an opponent whose helmet is off is a 15-yard illegal personal conduct foul.
Finally, a change might make the free kick for field goal following a fair catch a little more common. It's currently known as a sasquatch play -- there are reported sightings, but few have ever seen one.
There are other tweaks to rules but I think those are the major ones.
NFHS release
The actual wording has not been announced, just the gist of the situation and there is a HUGE change that I see causing serious issues:
There will no longer be an automatic first down on defensive pass interference.
For several years now there have been calls to remove the loss-of-down stipulation of offensive pass interference, but even though every other code has no LOD in this situation, the NFHS thought it was a balance with defensive interference's automatic firs down. This year the decision was made to eliminate the loss of down factor as too severe, but to maintain the balance, the automatic first down provision was also eliminated.
I really don't like this because the NFHS will be the only code where this is the case and few people will have any idea. In cases where a DPI is called on a play that has more than 15 yards to gain, failing to award the first down will cause problems. (I've already been in situations where fans who watch college football expect automatic first downs on facemask and other personal foul penalties and get very upset when they are not awarded, per NFHS rules.)
The other implication here involved the endzone. If a team is close to scoring, there is no reason NOT to interfere with receivers and give up a penalty that's half the distance to the goal line and replay the down.
I predict this rule will be in effect one year. Hope that's all it is.
The funny thing is, the Fed buried this nugget halfway down the press release, opting to highlight changes to the rule about helmets coming off.
Last year a new rule required players whose helmet came off during play, without a foul by the opponent to cause it, to sit out a play. God change. No problems encountered with the rule and it cut down on the players wearing helmets in an unsafe (loose) way so they would fly off for dramatic effect.
If the helmet comes off a ball-carrier, ball becomes dead and play is over. (no change).
Beginning this season, if a helmet comes off a player without the ball, he can no longer participate. To keep playing is a 15-yard illegal participation foul. Furthermore, to engage an opponent whose helmet is off is a 15-yard illegal personal conduct foul.
Finally, a change might make the free kick for field goal following a fair catch a little more common. It's currently known as a sasquatch play -- there are reported sightings, but few have ever seen one.
There are other tweaks to rules but I think those are the major ones.
NFHS release
