INDIANAPOLIS, IN (February 3, 2025) — Four revisions dealing with player
equipment in high school football were among the eight changes
recommended by the NFHS Football Rules Committee at its January 12-14
meeting in Indianapolis. All recommended changes were subsequently
approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
The
Football Rules Committee is composed of one member from each NFHS member
state association that uses NFHS playing rules, along with
representatives from the NFHS Coaches Association and NFHS Officials
Association.
One of the equipment changes next
year will permit some additional electronic communication with players
during games; however, in-helmet communication is still not allowed. A
change in Rule 1-5-3c(2) will permit fixed electronic signs with play
signals as well as non-audio methods. However, players between the
numbers still are not permitted to watch video.
In
the same Rule 1-5-3c(3), another new item was added to the illegal
equipment listing. Any audio (microphone) or video (camera) device worn
by a player during the game is not permitted. No player participating in
the game is allowed to wear any device that would record or transmit
audio or video.
The remaining player equipment
changes focus on tooth and mouth protectors and arm sleeves. The
committee approved two new additional requirements in Rule 1-5-1d(5) for
tooth and mouth protectors, which are required in high school football.
Tooth and mouth protectors a) shall not include any attachment(s) that
do not serve a purpose and function in protecting the teeth or mouth,
and b) shall not include anything that is a health or risk issue and
could pose danger to themselves or other players.
A
new item was added to Rule 1-5-2d regarding a change in arm sleeve
specifications. The new language, effective with the 2027 season, states
that “arm sleeves, whether attached to a shirt or unattached,
manufactured to enhance contact with the football or opponent, must meet
the SFIA specification at the time of manufacture. Arm sleeves must
have a permanent, exact replica of the SFIA arm sleeve seal (meets SFIA
specification), that must be visible and appear legibly on the exterior
of the arm sleeve.”
The Sports and Fitness
Industry Association (SFIA), in working with football arm sleeve
manufacturers and the NFHS, has developed the new football arm sleeve
performance specifications to be effective with the 2027 season. The new
specifications closely align with the current NFHS rules for football
gloves.
"One of our responsibilities is to
properly respond to advancements in equipment and technology. Through
deliberate research, debate and input from the NFHS Sports Medicine
Advisory Committee (SMAC) and engineers, we are confident the rule
changes regarding equipment are a positive move for our game," said
Steve Roberts, chair of the NFHS Football Rules Committee and associate
executive director of the Arkansas Activities Association.
In
other changes approved by the Football Rules Committee, a new exception
was added to Rule 4-3-1 regarding when a loose ball goes out of bounds.
Previously, the out-of-bounds spot was the yard line where the foremost
point of the ball crossed the sideline. Now, when a forward fumble goes
out of bounds or is ruled out of bounds between the goal lines, the
ball shall be returned to the spot of the fumble.
Bob
Colgate, editor of the NFHS Football Rules Book and director of sports
and sports medicine for the NFHS, said the committee made the change
because the previous rule potentially provided an unfair advantage to
the fumbling team.
The committee also approved a
deletion in Rule 10-4-4b which continues the committee’s revisions in
the penalty enforcement rules to ensure consistency, particularly among
illegal participation fouls.
Finally, the rules
committee made a revision in the Six-Player Football Rules that
clarifies that as long as there is a change of possession from the snap
receiver to another player on offense, the ball can be advanced beyond
the line of scrimmage.
A complete listing of
the football rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at
www.nfhs.org. Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home
page and select “Football.” The print version of the 2025 Football Rules
Book will be available for purchase in May at
www.NFHS.com, and the
digital version will be available in the same timeframe via NFHS Digital
at
www.NFHS.org.
According to the 2023-24
NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, 11-player football is
the most popular high school sport for boys with 1,031,508 participants
in 13,788 schools nationwide. In addition, there were 38,948 boys who
participated in 6-, 8- and 9-player football, along with 4,295 girls in
all four versions of the game for a grand total of 1,074,751. There also
were 42,955 participants in girls flag football in 2023-24.
