CTK 2015 – High School Football Rules Changes

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, August 10, 2015 | 1:19 PM

The 2015 season will be here before you know it and of course there are always changes to the playing rules. These changes were adopted by the National Federation of High School Sports and will be in effect for this year.

As has been seen in past years, player safety is a number one priority. Two of the major changes do just that.

First, the definition of spearing has been clarified. Spearing is an act by any player who initiates contact against an opponent at or below the shoulders with the crown of the helmet. The crown has been defined as the top portion of the helmet.

Also, the unnecessary roughness provisions were expanded to add contact to an opposition player which is deemed excessive. This also includes excessive contact with a defenseless player or an excessive hit on a player not in the vicinity of the play. Both changes continue the rules committee’s focus of minimizing the risk of injury.

Other changes involving penalties include a revision of last years change regarding free kick formations. At least four players are still required on each side of the ball in accordance with the 2014 rule, the foul now occurs when the ball is kicked. This will now allow the kicking team more of a chance to shift on a short kick.

The rule on roughing the passer was clarified that a 5 yard facemask foul on the passer does NOT include an automatic first down. This foul has been wrongly enforced in some areas of the country.

The distance foul on unsportsmanlike, non-player and dead ball personal fouls committed by each team may now offset, provided there is an equal number. This change only applies to dead ball fouls.

The final change allows the referee to correct the number of the next down, prior to the ball becoming alive after a new series of downs was awarded.

Those are the changes for 2015, may everyone have a safe season.