2019 Rules wish list

In the next couple of months, the NFHS will be releasing their proposed rule changes for the 2018 Football season. You will almost certainly see more stuff about safety and decreasing head injuries. Other POSSIBILITIES are changes to what we currently know as kick-offs and maybe even a 40 second play clock similar to college. What rule changes would you like to see or not see and what do they make sense?

I'd like to see an official on the clock, not a "Homer." I've seen too many times the clock stopped too soon or kept ticking late, to the benefit of the home team.

I'd like to see an official on the clock, not a "Homer." I've seen too many times the clock stopped too soon or kept ticking late, to the benefit of the home team.

That would be nice.

Needs to be clarification in RPO offensive scheme with offensive linemen down field. Too many teams are getting linemen second level while throwing down field, making run/pass reads for LBs & DBs nearly impossible.

Bluerunner Just curious, do you think this is a rule issue or an enforcement issue?

Needs to be clarification in RPO offensive scheme with offensive linemen down field. Too many teams are getting linemen second level while throwing down field, making run/pass reads for LBs & DBs nearly impossible.

Should be pretty simple. If a team is running RPO, lineman get downfield and they throw the ball, it's a penalty.

Should be pretty simple. If a team is running RPO, lineman get downfield and they throw the ball, it's a penalty.

The only variation there is if the pass is past the line of scrimmage or not.

Bluerunner Just curious, do you think this is a rule issue or an enforcement issue?

Not sure & completely understand if the ball is thrown to a receiver behind the line of scrimmage. Too many are sending tackles down on backers & throwing slants/hooks/curls to area where LBs are coming up on run reads.

I'd like to see every school made to have play clocks.

I'd like to see a failed conversion attempt be able to run back for two points like college.

Impossible to have a 40 second clock in HS, especially when there are 5 man officiating crews. The BJ is responsible for the play clock and a lot of times he is involved in officiating the play. If I understand correctly, the 40 second clock starts once the play is over. So by the time the play is over there may be a 5 second delay in getting the play clock started, resulting in a possible 45 second (or more) play clock.

The best possible scenario is to have play clocks on the field which many KY schools currently don’t have. The expense of having play clocks is the main reason schools don’t have them.

The play clocks at each school I doubt will ever be required. A lot of times it’s ran incorrectly also and the cost of them along with another person to run it (if done properly) just makes it unlikely.

As for an official to run the play clock, that’s not a bad idea it just comes down to numbers in the officiating association. I know in the SKY conference there are around 60 officials any given year, so on nights where the association must cover 9 games (usually district weeks) we are running thin as it is.

I don’t really have a wish past they need to clarify what qualifies as a defenseless player when it comes to a receiver.

Things that I think will change are the kickofff being moved up, being able to throw the ball away if outside the tackle box, and the playclock move to 40 secs. Eventually some form of targeting is going to be added but I don’t think you’ll see ejections for it unless a player ends up with multiple fouls.

They have been tinkering with 7 man crews which I am not a huge fan of...

Maybe they can have 7 man crews and 2 guys run the clocks in the future.