Football rule of the week

[ATLCat]

After becoming an official, it's incredible how many people don't know the rules of high school football that they are screaming about from the stands. I mean, I already knew that, but actually knowing the rules better now confirms it.

 

Intentional grounding is my favorite rule that noone understands personally at the HS level

 

 

These rules caveats also remind me of when Jim Matney from Johnson Central... who has been known for taking advantage of rules noone else knew such as the free kick.... cost himself a TD in the 2016 game vs. Belfry because he didn't know the PI Rule.

 

End of the Half and Johnson Central is inside the Belfry 10 facing a 4th and Goal with a timeout left.

 

JC throws a pass and Belfry interferes. Half the distance to the goal, but still 4th Down by rule. Matney assumes it is an automatic First Down so he runs a running play and Belfry stops it. Matney rushes to call a timeout and becomes livid when the ref blows the play dead and signal Turnover on Downs. He has to take his timeout into the Half with him and comes away with no points.

 

I would have made fun of him but I will be honest that even I thought it would be First and Goal after the penalty.

 

I have seen many a fan think they were bailed out on a 3rd and Long with a PI only to find out it is still 3rd Down.

[HT721]

That change has gotten a lot of people. A lot of people still think face guarding is a penalty in high school too and it's not any more.

[catholicdude]

The one that gets me is when all the fans yell for the QB to "Throw the ball away!" However, in high school there is no throwing the ball away unless you are clearly trying to get it to a receiver. When Intentional Grounding is called I still hear people screaming "he was out of the tackle box".

 

Now there are times when QBs still hold on to it to long but they just can't "throw it away" like many fans think.

[zebraman]

I started sitting by myself when I heard this comment at a high school game, “It’s ok, we have timeouts and the two-minute warning......”

 

 

If you see someone at a game sitting all alone, there is a good chance he is an official. lol

[barrel]

To everyone on this thread that are officials I want to say thank you. Without you we would not be able to play this game. For all of those that complain about officials I ask them to go through the training and pick up a whistle. No one is getting rich or quitting their day job to be an official.

 

A little bit of football history that the aiding the runner reminded of. During the Ice Bowl between Dallas and Green Bay there is the famous TD where it looks like the RB is throwing his hands up to signal TD. The play wasn’t supposed to be a QB sneak. There was a bad snap and so instead of handing the ball off the QB just turned it into a sneak. The RB was throwing up his hands to show he wasn’t aiding the runner.