| Rules Changes, Editorial Changes or Points of Emphasis for 2008: |
| 1. |
White is the recommended color for lines.
True 1-2-3a |
| 2. |
If a MRSA infection has occurred in a team member, the coach or certified athletic trainer should check other athletes daily before practice.
True POE (MRSA) |
| 3. |
Hiding the ball under the jersey will now be enforced as a basic spot foul using the all-but-one principle.
True 9-9-3 Penalty |
| 4. |
An inadvertent whistle does not end the down.
False 4-2-4 |
| 5. |
A hand pad is now defined as a covering for the hand that may have separate openings for each finger and thumb, is absent of any web-like material between the fingers and/or thumb, and not covering each finger and thumb.
True 1-5-2b Note |
| 6. |
Shinguards, if worn, do not need to meet NOCSAE specifications.
False 1-5-1h |
| 7. |
Offensive football allignments have become so diversified that more emphasis has to be placed upon legally starting a free-kick down and a scrimmage down.
True POE (False Starts, Shifts and Motion) |
| 8. |
Hip pads, tailbone protector, knee pads and thigh guards must not be altered from the manufacturer's original design/production.
True 1-5-1b, d, h |
| Dead Ball: |
| 9. |
A foul automatically causes the ball to become dead.
False 2-16-4; 4-2 |
| 10. |
When a backward pass strikes the ground, the ball becomes dead.
False 2-31-6; 4-2-2c; 7-4-3 |
| 11. |
If the try is a kick, the ball becomes dead when it is obvious the drop kick or place kick has failed.
True 4-2-2i; 8-3-2b |
| Definitions: |
| 12. |
A passer is a player who throws either a forward pass or a backward pass.
False 2-32-11 |
| 13. |
A down ends when the live ball becomes dead.
True 2-7-1; 4-2-2 |
| 14. |
The previous spot is where the ball was last snapped or free kicked.
True 2-41-7 |
| 15. |
An interception is securing posession of a live ball after it strikes the ground.
False 2-44 |
| 16. |
The snap is considered to be a backward pass and part of a loose-ball play.
True 2-33-1c |
| 17. |
If a forward pass touches an official who is in the field of play, the pass is ruled incomplete even if it is subsequently caught by a player of either team.
False 2-44 |
| 18. |
Handing the ball is not a pass.
True 2-19-1 |
| Encroachment: |
| 19. |
If A1 commits a false start that caused B1 to enter the neutral zone, B1 has not encroached.
True 7-1-8 |
| 20. |
Encroachment may not occur until the snapper has placed his hand(s) on the ball.
False 7-1-5 |
| Equipment: Field: |
| 21. |
The goal-line pylons may be any color as lone as they are the same color.
False 1-2-4 |
| 22. |
The ball must have the NFHS Authenticating Mark.
True 1-3-1g |
| Equipment: Player: |
| 23. |
It is mandatory that knee pads be worn over the knees and the pants cover the knee pads.
True 1-5-1d, e |
| 24. |
If the helmet of the tackler comes off in making contact with the runner, the ball becomes dead immediately.
False 4-2-2k |
| 25. |
Players are not required to wear thigh guards.
False 1-5-1h |
| 26. |
A mouth protector must be worn and must be completely white or clear.
False 1-5-1i |
| 27. |
The umpire has the authority to declare equipment illegal if he determines it is inappropriate equipment.
True 1-5-4 |
| 28. |
The numbers 0 and 00 are legal numbers on a players jersey.
False 1-4-3 |
| Extending a Period: |
| 29. |
A period must be extended by an untimed down if, during the last timed down of the period, there was a double foul.
True 3-3-3b |
| 30. |
If during the last timed down of the first period the Team A coach commits an unsportsmanlike foul, the period must be extended.
False 3-3-3a; 3-3-4b1 |
| 31. |
If during the last timed down of a period a non-player foul occurs and the penalty is accepted, the period is entended with an untimed down.
False 3-3-3a; 3-3-5b2 |
| 32. |
If any dead-ball foul by either team occurs after the last timed down of either half, it is enforced from the succeeding spot on the kickoff or overtime.
True 3-3-6 |
| Fair Catch: |
| 33. |
If a low scrimmage kick is touched by R1 in the neutral zone, kick-catching interference restrictions have ended and no fair catch can be made.
False 6-5-6 |
| 34. |
Only one receiver may give a signal for a fair catch while any legal kick is in flight.
False 6-5-1 |
| 35. |
Two arms raised full lenght above the head and waved is an invalid catch signal.
True 2-9-3 |
| 36. |
If R1 signals for a fair catch, he may not block until the kick ends.
True 6-5-1 |
| 37. |
Any receiver may signal for a fair catch while any legal kick is in flight.
True 6-5-1 |
| Field Goal: |
| 38. |
If K1 kicks the ball between the uprights and above the crossbar on a kickoff, it is a field goal.
False 8-4-1a |
| 39. |
A field goal may not be scored if the kick touches the ground before passing through the goal.
True 8-4-1b |
| 40. |
After a field goal, the opponent of the scoring team shall designate which team will kick off.
True 8-4-2 |
| Passing: |
| 41. |
A backward pass out of bounds is an illegal pass.
False 7-4-3 |
| 42. |
A passer is a player who throws a legal forward pass.
True 2-32-11 |
| 43. |
A backward pass ends when it is caught, recovered or is out of bounds.
True 2-31-6 |
| 44. |
Prior to releasing the ball on a pass, the potential passer is contacted, and the ball is released, it is not a forward pass if his arm was moving forward on contact.
False 2-31-2 Note |
| Fouls: |
| 45. |
A player in the free-blocking zone at the snap may block from behind, within the free-blocking zone, at any time during the down.
False 2-17-3 |
| 46. |
Illegal motion, illegal shifts and false starts are all fouls simultaneous with the snap.
False 7-1-7; 7-2-6, 7 |
| 47. |
Contacting the opponent's face mask with the hand is not a face mask foul unless the mask is grasped.
True 9-4-3h |
| 48. |
If B1 tackles A1, who is obviously not the runner, it is defensive holding.
True 9-2-3c |
| 49. |
An illegal snap or other snap infraction causes the ball to remain dead.
True 7-1-4; 10-1-2 |
| 50. |
It is not illegal for runner A1 to spear B1.
False 2-20-1c; 9-4-3i |
| Free Kick: |
| 51. |
During a free kick down the ball may be handed forward to a teammate.
False 7-3-2 |
| 52. |
For any free kick, a free-kick line, corresponfing to a scrimmage line, is established for each team.
True 6-1-1 |
| 53. |
If a free kick goes out of bounds between the goal lines touched inbounds by R, the ball is put into play by R at the inbounds spot.
True 6-1-9 |
| 54. |
If any K player recovers or catches a free kick, the ball becomes dead.
True 6-1-5 |
| Fundamental Statements: |
| 55. |
The penalty for offensive pass interference does not include loss of down.
False Fund X-6; 7-5-10 Penalty |
| 56. |
Penalties are either 5, 10, or 15 yards.
True Fund X-2 |
| 57. |
A player is an eligible receiver at the snap becomes ineligable is he goes out of bounds intentionally and returns.
False Fund VII-1; 7-5-6d |
| 58. |
A kick ends as soon as R1 touches the kick.
False Fund IV-1; 2-24-2 |
| Illegal Participation: |
| 59. |
It is illegal participation if a replaced player attempts but fails to leave the field prior to the snap.
False 3-7-4 |
| 60. |
It is illegal participation if a player is lying on the ground to deceive the opponents immediately before the snap of free kick.
True 9-6-4e |
| 61. |
It is illegal substitution to have 12 or more players participating at the snap of free kick.
False 9-6-4c |
| 62. |
It is illegal participation for a disqualified player to re-enter the game.
True 9-6-4f |
| Inadvertent Whistle: |
| 63. |
Following a change of posession, if an inadvertent whistle is sounded, the down must be replayed.
False 4-2-3b |
| 64. |
If an inadvertent whistle sounds during the last timed down of a period, the period must be extended by an untimed down.
True 3-3-3c |
| Miscellaneous: |
| 65. |
Protests of NFHS rules are not recognized.
True 1-1-11 |
| 66. |
The head coach will decide if an unconscious player may return to the game and participate after regaining consciousness.
False 3-5-10b |
| Penalty Enforcement: |
| 67. |
In a scrimmage kick formation, should B1 charge directly into snapper A1 the foul carried a penalty of 15 yards and an automatic first down.
True 9-4-6 Penalty |
| 68. |
If a foul occurs during a loose-ball play, the basic spot is the spot of the foul.
False 10-4-2b |
| 69. |
A coach who has been ejected may not have further direct or indirect contact with his team during the remainder of the game.
True 9-8 Penalty |
| 70. |
If two teammates participate while wearing identical numbers, the foul occurs simultaniously with the snap.
True 7-2-5c Penalty |
| 71. |
The field captain may delay his decision to accept or decline a penalty until after a charged time-out.
False 1-4-1; 10-1-1 |
| 72. |
Illegal participation is enforced as a live-ball foul.
True 9-6-1 Penalty |
| 73. |
All dead-ball fouls are enforced in the order in which they occurred and always from the spot of the foul.
False 10-2-5; 10-4-5 |
| 74. |
Kick-catching interference carries a 15-yard penalty plus a loss of down.
False 6-5-6 Penalty |
| 75. |
After a double foul, the down is replayed and no yardage penalty is enforced.
True 10-2-1 |
| 76. |
A foul during a try is not paired with a dead-ball foul to create a double or multiple foul.
True 10-2-6 |
| Periods: |
| 77. |
A period may be shortened in any emergency by agreement of the opposing coaches and the referee.
True 3-1-3 |
| 78. |
Between the first and second and between the third and fourth periods, the teams may or may not change goals.
False 3-2-4 |
| 79. |
The clock running time for a game shall be 60 minutes for high schools with periods and intermission.
False 3-1-1 |
| 80. |
If time for any period expires during a down (clock indicated 0:00), a signal shall be sounded even though the ball is live.
False 3-3-2 |
| Safety: |
| 81. |
During a try, Team A will score two points for a safety by B.
False 8-1 Table; 8-3-3 |
| 82. |
If B1 intercepts a forward pass in B's end zone and begins to return, but is tackled in the end zone, it is a touchback.
True 8-5-3d |
| 83. |
If B1 intercepts A's forward pass in B's end zone, it is a safety if he is tackled there.
False 8-5-3d |
| 84. |
A safety will be scored when an offensive player commits any foul for which the penalty is accepted and enforcement is from a spot in his end zone.
True 8-5-2c |
| Time-outs: |
| 85. |
Regular time-out privilages are permitted during a television/radio time-out.
True 3-5-7l |
| 86. |
The clock shall be stopped when an illegal forward pass is incomplete.
True 3-4-4f |
| 87. |
Any team time-out not used during the first half can be saved and used during the second half.
False 3-5-1 |
| 88. |
Only four time-outs may be charged to a team during each half of a regulation of a game.
False 3-5-1 |
| Timing: |
| 89. |
When the ball becomes dead following a fourth down, the clock must be stopped.
True 3-5-9 |
| 90. |
The clock will start with the snap on a scrimmage down following a fair catch.
True 3-4-3b, c |
| 91. |
There is a two-minute intermission following a try, successful field goal or safety and prior to a free kick.
False 3-5-7m |
| 92. |
On a free kick to start a period, the clock will start when the ball is touched other than first touching by K.
True 3-4-1a |
| Touchback: |
| 93. |
It is a touchback if A1's fumble on B's 5-yard line is recovered by B1 in B's end zone.
True 8-5-3c |
| 94. |
If K's blocked punt strikes the ground and is then forced into K's end zone by R2 and recovered there by R3, it is a touchback.
False 2-13-2; 8-2-1b; Fund I-8 |
| 95. |
It is a touchback if A1 fumbles on B's 5-yard line and B1's muff forcec the loose ball into B's end zone and out of bounds beyond the end line.
False 8-5-2b |
| 96. |
It is a touchback when a grounded three-point field-goal attempt breaks the plane of R's goal line unless R chooses spot of first touching by K.
True 6-3-1a; 8-5-3a1 |
| Touchdowns: |
| 97. |
It is impossible for A1 to fumble in B's end zone as the ball is already dead because of the touchdown.
True 4-2-2h; 8-2-1a |
| 98. |
It is a touchdown for A when a ball in A1's posession breaks the plane of B's goal line.
True 8-2-1a |
| 99. |
It is a touchdown for A if A1 fumbles into B's end zone and A2 is the last to touch the ball prior to its going out of bounds beyond the end line.
False 8-5-3c |
| 100. |
A touchdown is worth seven points.
False 8-1 Table |