Here are the NFHS rule changes for the upcoming 2023 high school football season.

The spot of enforcement for offensive holding will have a HUGE impact on the game going forward. It won't be long until the high school rules mirror the college game in every way.

* The NFHS made the rule change to maintain balance between offense and defense. The rules revision says that the spot for enforcement of fouls behind the line of scrimmage, such as a holding penalty, is enforced from the previous spot, rather than the spot of the foul. The exception is current penalties for illegal kicking, batting and participation fouls as well as offensive fouls occurring in the end zone that may result in a safety.

* The NFHS added criteria to help identify players who should be defined as defenseless receivers in relation to unnecessary or excessive contact. Along with a receiver, a person intercepting a pass, who is forcefully contacted by an opponent that is not incidental as a result of making a play on the ball, would result in a penalty. A penalty would not be enforced if the player the making the tackle initiated with open hands or attempted to tackle by wrapping arms around a receiver.

* Clarified the intentional grounding rule change implemented in 2022. The rule change permits the exception for intentional grounding to the first and only player to possess the ball after the snap ends. McWhirter said if an additional person handles the ball, say on a double pass or reverse, that person could be subject to intentional grounding if they threw the ball away out of the pocket.

* Clarified when a player is in bounds after being out of bounds. A player has to re-establish in bounds before touching a ball. McWhirter said the player can't tip a ball to a player while in the air and not have established themselves in bounds.

* A player equipment change now permits player towels to have one manufacturer's logo and/or one school logo. Neither can exceed 2 ¼ square inches. Towels must be a solid color and don't need to be the same color for each player. They can't be the same color of penalty flags or the ball.

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The enforcement rule for fouls behind the LOS is a huge positive IMO. 

4 hours ago, TheDeuce said:

The enforcement rule for fouls behind the LOS is a huge positive IMO. 

Yep, probably should have been changed a while ago.  But good change.

5 hours ago, TheDeuce said:

The enforcement rule for fouls behind the LOS is a huge positive IMO. 

Came into play a couple of times at the scrimmage I went to on Friday. You could tell there was some confusion in the stands from some folks (and even a couple of clarification discussions amongst the officials), but I think it is a good rule change.