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Chop Block Rule
Redefined in High School Football
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Bob Colgate
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (February 14, 2011) — A change in the
definition
of a chop block
in high school football, along with a
strong
emphasis on proper use of the helmet to minimize risk of injury,
highlighted the January 21-23 meeting of the National Federation of
State High School Associations (NFHS) Football Rules Committee in
Indianapolis.
The
modification of the chop block rule was one of
11 rules
changes
recommended by the Football Rules Committee and approved by the NFHS
Board of Directors.
The new
language in Rule 2-3-8 defines a chop block as
“a
combination block by two or more teammates against an opponent other
than the runner, with or without delay,
where one of
the blocks is low (at the knee or below) and one of the blocks is high
(above the knee).”
Previous language defined a chop block as “a
delayed
block at the
knees or below against an opponent who is in contact with a teammate of
the blocker
in the free-blocking zone.”
Bob
Colgate, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the Football Rules
Committee, said that
any combination block where one block is
high (above
the knee) and one
block is
low (at or below the knee) will constitute a chop block – with or without delay between the
blocks. He also noted that a
low-low
combination block
is
no longer a
chop block.
Although not an official rules change, perhaps the most significant
action by the committee was the issuance of the
2011 Points of Emphasis on
concussions,
helmets and
contact above the shoulders.
The
NFHS has been the leader in establishing playing rules to deal with
concussions. Last year, the NFHS implemented new guidelines for the
management of a student exhibiting signs, symptoms or behaviors
consistent with a concussion. In addition, the NFHS developed a
free online course entitled
Concussion in Sports – What You Need to Know,
which has
been viewed by more than 135,000 persons.
“The
committee
chose not to change many of the playing rules
as it intends to ensure the
continued focus on minimizing risk of injury to high school football players,” said Julian Tackett, chairman
of the NFHS Football Rules Committee and commissioner of the Kentucky
High School Athletic Association. “The minimal number of rules changes
in high school football this year verifies that the country feels like
the game is in great shape.”
In
other rules changes, the committee standardized the rules regarding the
replacement of apparently injured players,
players who
exhibit concussion signs and symptoms, and
players who
are bleeding or have blood on their body or uniform.
Players removed in any of these situations must leave the game for at
least one down, and the
time-out is an officials’ time-out,
not one charged to the team.
The
rules committee also
defined two types of authorized team conferences
– the “Outside Nine-yard Mark Conference” and the “Between Nine-yard
Mark Conference.”
When an injury occurs
and the referee grants an authorized conference, it must be
an “Outside Nine-yard Mark Conference.”
Colgate said this will
provide medical personnel time and space
to address the injured player.
Three
changes were approved in
Rule 1 – The Game, Field, Players and Equipment.
In Rule 1-1-8,
language was added to note that “game officials maintain administrative responsibilities
for the contest
through the completion of any required reports or correspondence
in response to any action occurring while the officials have
jurisdiction.” The revised rule further notes that “state associations
may intercede in the event of unusual incidents after the officials have
signaled the end of the game or in the event a game is terminated prior
to the conclusion of regulation play.”
In
Rule 1-5-1,
the detailed
specifications for thigh guards were deleted because they were not necessarily applicable to newer
technologies used in current production. The
requirements for wearing thigh guards
and that the guards be
unaltered from the manufacturer’s original design/production remain
part of the rule.
Restrictions on eye shade were added to
Rule 1-5-3c. If used,
eye shade
must be applied using a
single solid stroke under each eye.
“The
committee’s intent was that eye shade be located below and within the
width of the eye socket and
not extend below the
cheekbone,” Colgate
said. “No words,
numbers, logos or other symbols
of any type may be included within the eye shade.”
Four
changes were approved by the committee in
Rule 9
–
Conduct of Players
and Others. Those revisions include the following:
·
All
horse-collar
fouls being treated as
live-ball fouls.
·
Roughing-the-passer penalties being enforced from the
dead-ball spot when there is no change of team possession and the dead-ball
spot is beyond the
line of scrimmage.
·
The
illegal participation
rule including a player who
intentionally goes out of bounds
and,
while out of bounds, affects the play, touches the ball or otherwise
participates.
·
Establishing an
unsportsmanlike foul against the head coach
for failure to adhere to the limits on squad members being on the field
of play during the
coin toss.
A final
change was made regarding running clock/mercy rules in nine-, eight- and
six-player rules.
Football is the
No. 1 participatory sport for boys at the high school level with
1,135,052 participants in the 2009-10 school year, according to the High
School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the NFHS through its
member state associations. In addition, the survey indicated there were
1,350 girls who played football in 2009-10.
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