Numbering Exceptions (Rule 7-2-5)
In 2007, two California high school football coaches developed the “A-11 offense,” which exploited a Rules Book loophole regarding the scrimmage kick formation. On each down, up to 10 Team A players…
Rules
Read MoreNumbering Exceptions (Rule 7-2-5)
Comprehend the “Why”
Comprehending the “why” behind a rule is often helpful when studying the Rules Book. It’s hard to memorize every word in the Book, so understanding why the rule exists may help us…
What To Do When (Part 2)
What to do when you communicate with a receiver about his position relative to the line or backfield and the ball is snapped while the receiver moves? As players leave the huddle…
What To Do When (Part 1)
Our Colorado Football Officials Association President, John Conklin, gave an outstanding presentation called “What To Do When” at our state clinic. I want to devote a few Ready for Play articles to…
Illegal Participation (Stepping Out of Bounds)
Rule 9-6 addresses illegal participation. This article will focus on a player who steps out of bounds, either purposefully or accidentally without being blocked out of bounds. Note: Rule 9-6-1 says if…
The Momentum Exception
The momentum exception is an exception to the rule describing action that results in a Safety (other than by penalty) (8-5-2a). The NFHS rule book stipulates if a ball becomes dead in…
Getting Plays Right
Here is a Ray Lutz “Forward Progress” post from August 16, 2011 (Edited for clarity and rule changes) Here is a partial list of some plays crews have screwed up or were…