| Rules Changes, Editorial Changes or Points of Emphasis for 2009: |
| 1. |
If a penalty resulting in a safety occurs on the last timed down of a period, the period is extended.
False, New, 3-3-4b5 |
| 2. |
It is not illegal to grasp the opponent's chin strap.
False, 9-4-3h |
| 3. |
Players, coaches, spectators and officials all play a vital role in the promotion of good sportsmanship in high school football.
True, POE - Sportsmanship |
| 4. |
The head coach of each team is not responsible for his team being on the field for the mandatory three-minute warm-up period after halftime intermission.
False, Table 3-1; 9-8-1g |
| 5. |
The horse-collar tackle has been added to the list of illegal personal contact fouls, regardless of where it occurs on the field.
True, New, 9-4-3k |
| 6. |
Touching of a face mask - with an open hand, for example, or in some other way - is not a foul and should not be called.
True, POE - Helmet and Face Mask |
| 7. |
The clock shall start with the snap of when any free kick is touched, other than first touching by K, if the clock has stopped because a fair catch is made.
True, 3-4-3j |
| 8. |
A restricted area has been defined where a maximum of three coaches may communicate with players and substitutes during live-ball situations.
False, 1-2-3g; 9-8-3 |
| 9. |
A new lightning policy has been adopted by many sports medicine groups and governing bodies, including the NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee.
True, POE - NFHS Lightning Guidelines |
| 10. |
If the field of play has a logo in the center or at any other part of the field of play, that logo should not distract from the visibility of the required marks every five yards.
True, 1-2-3b Note 2 - New |
| Authorized Conferences: |
| 11. |
If one coach goes to the huddle for 30 seconds, another coach may then confer for the time remaining as long as only one coach is in the huddle at any given time.
False, 2-6-2b; |
| 12. |
An authorized conference may be held following a try
True, 3-5-7m; 3-5-8 |
| Batting |
| 13. |
A backward pass in flight may be batted in any direction by either team.
False, 9-7-3 |
| 14. |
Batting a ball in flight may add a new force to the ball.
False, 2-13-3 |
| 15. |
It is not a foul ball if a player contacts a loose ball with his hand.
True |
| 16. |
The penalty for illegal batting is 15 yards and loss of down
False, 9-7 Penalty |
| Blocking: |
17. |
The runner may be legally clipped.
True |
| 18. |
Any player in the free blocking zone, at the time of the snap, may block below the waist.
False |
| 19. |
A team B player may use locked hands to ward off an opponent who is blocking him or attempting to block him.
False, 2-3-3 |
| 20. |
It is illegal use-of-hands foul if the runner grasps a teammate.
True |
| Dead Ball: |
| 21. |
A legal, free or scrimmage kick that is not a scoring attempt does not become dead until the ball touches something after it is behind R's goal-line plane.
False |
| 22. |
If the try is by kick, the ball becomes dead when it is obvious the drop kick or place kick has failed,
True |
| Definitions: |
| 23. |
The line of scrimmage for each team is determined when the ball is marked ready for play.
True |
| 24. |
If an official is out of bounds when he is touched by a loose ball, the touching is ignored.
False |
| 25. |
Fighting is any attempt by a player or non-player to strike or engage a player or non-player in a combative manner unrelated to football.
True, 2-11 |
| 26. |
The succeeding spot is where the ball was last snapped or free kicked.
False |
| 27. |
The ball is live only during a down.
True, 2-1-2 |
| 28. |
A drop kick is a legal kick by a player who drops the ball and kicks it just before it has touched the ground.
False, 2-24-6 |
| 29. |
Loss of down is the loss of the right to replay a down.
True, 2-7-2 |
| 30. |
Spearing is an act by a defensive player who initiates contact with a ball carrier with the front of his helmet.
False, 2-20-1c |
| Downs - New Series: |
| 31. |
The down is ended when the runner allows any part of his person, other than hand or foot, to touch the ground.
True |
| 32. |
When A1 is downed beyond the line-to-gain, a new line-to-gain is not established until the effect of any act which occurred during the down, except a non-player or unsportsmanlike foul, is considered.
True |
| Equipment Game - Field: |
| 33. |
Officials may use available television replay equipment to assist in making certain critical decisions relating to the game.
False, 1-1-9 |
| 34. |
An unofficial auxiliary down indicator may be used, but it must be operated approximately 2 yards outside the sideline (except in stadiums where the total playing enclosure does not permit) opposite the official line-to-gain and down indicators.
True |
| 35. |
The referee is the final judge as to the legality of the game ball.
True, 1-3-3 |
| 36. |
The ball shall contain one set of either 10 or 14 evenly spaced laces.
False, 1-3-1b |
| 37. |
Supplementary equipment to aid in game administration may be used if authorized by the referee.
False |
| 38. |
The goal is a vertical plane midway between the sidelines extending indefinitely above the crossbar and outer edges of the uprights and in the same vertical plane as the inside edge of the end line.
False, 1-2-5 |
| Equipment Player: |
| 39. |
A tinted eyeshield is illegal.
True |
| 40. |
Penalty-marker colored gloves are legal if approved by the umpire.
False |
| 41. |
The head coach's verification that his players are legally equipped includes a visible exterior warning label on the helmet regarding the risk of injury.
True, 1-5-1 Note |
| 42. |
Prior to the game, the umpire must check and personally verify that all player equipment is legal.
False, 1-5-4 |
| 43. |
Beginning in 2012, players of the visiting team shall wear white jerseys that have additional limitations as to how much color may be on its jersey.
True, 1-5-1c5 |
| 44. |
A player's towel may have a ball-drying product applied to it that will affect the football.
False |
| 45. |
Players of the same team can participate during the same down while wearing identical numbers.
False |
| 46. |
The equipment that all players are required to wear shall be professionally manufactured and not altered to decrease protection.
True |
| Fouls: |
| 47. |
If B1 tackles A1, who is obviously not the runner, it is defensive holding.
True |
| 48. |
A live-ball foul and a dead-ball foul cannot be combined to create a double foul.
True, 2-16-2b |
| 49. |
The restrictions on players being in the team box extend from the 35-yard line to the 35-yard line.
False |
| 50. |
A non-player foul may influence the play in progress.
False, 2-16-2f |
| 51. |
When his team is in scrimmage-kick formation, the snapper is given special protection from a direct charge by an opponent until the snapper blocks or further participates in the play.
False |
| 52. |
An illegal shift is a foul at the snap.
True |
| 53. |
Tripping an opponent who is not the runner is legal.
False |
| 54. |
If a false start causes B to encroach, only the false start is penalized.
True |
| 55. |
If a player is charged with an unsportsmanlike foul because of a prolonged or excessive act, he must also be disqualified.
False |
| 56. |
If a replaced player is unable to leave the field prior to the snap, it is an illegal substitution foul if he does not participate or affect play.
True |
| Fundamentals - Fundamental Statements: |
| 57. |
No series can ever start on a down other than first.
True |
| 58. |
A handed ball beyond the neutral zone is considered to be a pass.
False, 2-19-1 |
| 59. |
A foul can cause the loss of the ball.
False, Fundamentals - I.6 |
| 60. |
The distance penalty for any foul may be declined.
True |
| Illegal Participation: |
| 61. |
It is illegal participation for a disqualified player to re-enter the game.
True |
| 62. |
If a substitute or replaced player influences the play, it is illegal participation.
True |
| Illegal Formation: |
| 63. |
After the ball is marked ready for play, each player of A who participated in the previous down and each substitute for A must have been, momentarily, between the 9-yard marks before the snap.
True |
| 64. |
Of the players of A who are not on their line at the snap, only one may penetrate the vertical plane through the waistline of his nearest teammate who is on his line.
True |
| 65. |
An offensive player is on his line of scrimmage when he complies with the position requirements of a lineman.
True |
| 66. |
A scrimmage formation requires a minimum of five A players legally on their line at the snap.
False |
| Passing: |
| 67. |
Interference by B may occur beyond, in or behind the neutral zone.
False |
| 68. |
A passer is a player who either throws a forward pass or backward pass.
False, 2-32-11 |
| 69. |
During an illegal forward pass, pass eligibility restrictions do not apply.
True, 7-5-6 |
| 70. |
Touching of a forward pass by B1 causes pass interference restrictions to end and all A players to become eligible.
True |
| 71. |
If an illegal forward pass strikes the ground, the ball remains live.
False |
| 72. |
A player who is an eligible receiver at the snap may become ineligible during the down.
False |
| Penalty Enforcement: |
| 73. |
The penalty for roughing the snapper is 15 yards and also a first down.
True |
| 74. |
Dead-ball fouls are administered seperately and in order of their occurrence.
True |
| 75. |
The penalty for an illegal forward pass is 10 yards and loss of down.
False |
| 76. |
It is unsportsmanlike conduct for any player to committ any act that tends to engender ill will.
True |
| 77. |
If a player commits an obviously unfair act that has no specific rules coverage, the referee may enforce any penalty he considers equitable.
True |
| 78. |
If the head coach is ejected, the game must be forfeited immediately.
False |
| Possesion: |
| 79. |
A catch of an opponent's fumble or pass is called a recovery.
False, 2-36-1 |
| 80. |
Whan a ball is loose, it is in possession of the team of the player who was last in possession.
True, Fundamentals - I.3 |
| Safety: |
| 81. |
It is a safety if R1, in an effort to block K1's field-goal attempt, leaps high in the end zone and tips the ball between the uprights above the crossbar.
False |
| 82. |
It is a safety if A1 retreats into A's end zone and fumbles the ball beyond the end line.
True |
| 83. |
On kicks entering R's end zone, the determination of force dictates whether it is a touchback or a safety.
False |
| 84. |
The team whose goal line is involved shall put the ball in play anywhere between the inbounds line on its 20-yard line by a snap after a touchback and by a free kick after a safety.
True |
| Scrimmage Kicks: |
| 85. |
If a scrimmage kick becomes dead inbounds with no player in possession, it is awarded to R.
True |
| 86. |
The touching of a low scrimmage kick by any player is ignored if the touching is in or behind the expanded neutral zone.
True |
| 87. |
If a kick becomes dead in R's end zone, it is always a safety or touchback.
False, Table 6-4 |
| 88. |
During a scrimmage kick, the kicker remains a kicker until the ball is in flight beyond the neutral zone.
False, 2-32-8 |
| Snap: |
| 89. |
The snap begins when the snapper moves the ball by tilting it on end during adjustments.
False |
| 90. |
The snapper may lift the ball for lateral rotation but may not rotate the ball end-for-end or change the location of the ball.
True |
| 91. |
After touching the ball following the ready for play, the snapper may remove both hands from the ball.
False |
| 92. |
An illegal snap causes the ball to remain dead.
True |
| Time-outs: |
| 93. |
The head coach may come onto the field and request the nearest official to grant a time-out.
False |
| 94. |
No single charged time-out shall exceed one minute.
True |
| 95. |
Charged team time-outs shall be reduced in length if both teams are ready to play before the ready-for-play signal.
True |
| 96. |
The ball shall be declared ready-for-play immediately when the team that called the time-out is ready to resume play.
False |
| Timing: |
| 97. |
A clock stopped during a period for an official's time-out will start with the ready-for-play signal unless a free-kick follows.
False |
| 98. |
During a down, if time expires for a period and a signal is sounded, the officials shall ignore the signal.
True |
| 99. |
If a free kick is repeated, the clock starts on the ready-for-play signal if it had been started on the original kick.
False |
| 100. |
A state association may establish guidelines to use a running clock when a point differetial is reached.
True |