1. NYSACFO 2019 Annual Meeting NFHS Rule Changes & NYSACFO Mechanics
June 15, 2019
Happy Fathers Day
Hear more on rules this year due to new 40 second clock – most significant change to rules in 25+ years
Starting early in order to be prepared and have consistency across the state.

2. Agenda 1. New Rules (excluding 40/25 Play Clock) 2. “Ball on the Tics”
4. Unsportsmanlike Conduct (UNS) Fouls

3. New Rules (excluding 40/25 Play Clock)1
New Rules (excluding 40/25 Play Clock)

4. New Rules (excluding 40/25 Play Clock)
BY STATE ASSOCIATION ADOPTION, USE OF VIDEO REVIEW ALLOWED FOR STATE POST-SEASON CONTESTS [1-3-7 NOTE (NEW), TABLE 1-7 – NOTE (NEW)]
Rationale: By state association adoption, instant replay may only be used during state postseason contests to review decisions by the on-field game officials. This adoption would allow state associations to develop protocols for use of video replay.
At this time the NYSPHSAA has not adopted use of video review for football.
IMPROVED VISIBILITY OF NUMBERS [1-5-1c, 1-5-1c(6) (NEW)]
Rationale: The purpose of numbers on jerseys is to provide clear identification of players. In order to enhance the ability to easily identify players, the committee has clarified the size requirements for jersey numbers through the 2023 season. The committee also added a new requirement that, effective in the 2024 season, jersey numbers must be a single solid color that clearly contrasts with the body color of the jersey.
PROHIBITION ON TRIPPING THE RUNNER [2-45, 9-4-3o (NEW), 9-4-3o PENALTY (NEW)]
Rationale: In an effort to decrease risk, tripping the runner is now prohibited. It is now a foul to intentionally use the lower leg or foot to obstruct a runner below the knees.
Tripping is the intentional use of the lower leg or foot to obstruct an opponent, who is not the runner, below the knee. (2-45)
No player or nonplayer shall trip an opponent. (9-4-3o)

5. New Rules (excluding 40/25 Play Clock)
ILLEGAL KICKING AND BATTING PENALTY REDUCED (6-2-1 PENALTY, 9-7 PENALTY)
Rationale: The penalty for illegally kicking or batting the ball was reduced from 15 yards to 10 yards.
Illegally kicking or batting fouls are not as severe as a PF or UNS, therefore the penalty that accompanies these fouls should not be commensurate as the penalty for a PF or UNS.
REDEFINED REQUIREMENTS FOR A LEGAL SCRIMMAGE FORMATION (2-14-1, 7-2-5a&b)
Rationale: A legal scrimmage formation now requires at least five offensive players on their line of scrimmage with no more than four backs. This change will make it easier to identify legal and illegal offensive formations.
A scrimmage formation requires a minimum of five A players legally on their line at the snap. (2-14-1)
At the snap, at least five A players on their line of scrimmage and no more than four A players may be backs. (7-2-5a)
At the snap, at least five A players on their line of scrimmage must be numbered (7-2-5b)

6. New Rules (excluding 40/25 Play Clock)
HORSE-COLLAR TACKLE ADDITION (9-4-3k)
Rationale: Grabbing the name plate area of the jersey of the runner, directly below the back collar, and pulling the runner to the ground is now an illegal personal contact foul.
No player or nonplayer shall grab the inside back or side collar, or the name plate area (directly below the back collar), of either the shoulder pads or the jersey of the runner and subsequently pull (backward or sideward) that opponent to the ground (Horse-collar), even if possession is lost. The horse-collar foul is enforced as a live-ball foul.
WRIGHT

7. 2
“Ball on the Tics”

8. “Ball on the Tics”
Placing the Front End of the Ball on a “Tic”
Rationale:
Assist crew, wings in particular, of knowing line to gain.
Aid HL in chain crew management.
Help U with a line of demarcation for ineligible(s) downfield 1 2 3
Picture 1, 2, & 6 – start a new series 4 5 6

9. “Ball on the Tics”
To spot the ball properly, play in and play out throughout the entire game, the wing officials have to concentrate 100% on what is happening in front of them and can never let up.
There isn’t a foul on every play, but there is a spot on every play.
As a general rule let’s make it easier on ourselves by spotting the ball with the nose end touching a yard line.
If working on a field with marks indicating all of the yard lines (not just lines every five yards), spot the ball with its nose on a yard line when the play ends. That enables the crew to more easily determine whether a first down is made in the sequence of plays that follow - the officials will know that if the nose of the ball gets past the yard line 10 yards away, a 1st down has been made.
Exceptions
This procedure cannot be used when the dead ball spot is close to a 1st down.
if the kicking team manages to down the ball a foot short of the goal line; spot the ball right there instead of on the one yard line. Otherwise you deprive the kickers of the full effect of their outstanding play.
Allows the chains to be more accurately set than if the ball is spotted between two yard lines.
It enables the use of cross-field ball spotting techniques which will help the Umpire set the ball more quickly and easily.
Picture 1, 2, & 6 – start a new series

10. “Ball on the Tics” Video
Picture 1, 2, & 6 – start a new series

11. 3 40/25 Play Clock A lot of information here. Go through it all.
Not meant to be the interp meeting.
Give you info to think about and start giving info to your chapters and sections

12. 40/25 Play Clock 40-SECOND PLAY CLOCK (2-35-1, 3-6-1, 3-6-2a, 7-2-1)
Rationale: To have a more consistent time period between downs, the rules committee approved situations where 40 seconds will be placed on the play clock. The new rule defines when 40 seconds will be placed on the play clock and when 25 seconds will be placed on the play clock.
40-SECOND PLAY CLOCK will be in use for all NYSPHSAA Varsity level games.
Basically, if you have to hold up the normal flow of the game and have to "restart" the normal flow, use 25. Otherwise, use 40.

13. 40/25 Play Clock - Personal Timing Devices
Ready Ref
Cost = $69.00
Ready Ref will provide free shipping for bulk orders. Shipping is $8 on an individual basis. Contact them via phone at
For $18.00 previously purchased Ready Ref devices can be updated for the 2019 NFHS Ready for Play Rule Change
Ref Smart
Cost = $69.99
Ref Smart shipping is free for orders over $129 - delivery in 7 to 10 days.
Previously purchased Ref Smart devices can be updated from 60/25 to 40/25 by manipulating the 4 white switches inside the battery compartment.

14. 40/25 Play Clock 40-SECOND PLAY CLOCK (2-35-1, 3-6-1, 3-6-2a, 7-2-1)
Rationale: To have a more consistent time period between downs, the rules committee approved situations where 40 seconds will be placed on the play clock. The new rule defines when 40 seconds will be placed on the play clock and when 25 seconds will be placed on the play clock.
 Event*
Play Clock Starts at
Dead ball inbounds 40
Dead ball out of bounds
Incomplete pass
Team A awarded 1st down
Double change of possession – Team A snaps   
Event*
Play Clock Starts at
Penalty administration 25
Charged team timeout
Injury / Helmet off / Equipment issue
Measurement
Change of possession – Team B snaps
Touchdown
Try, FG, Safety
Start of each period
Legal kick
Start of overtime period
Other administrative stoppage ***
Basically, if you have to hold up the normal flow of the game and have to "restart" the normal flow, use 25. Otherwise, use 40.
* If event does not occur in conjunction with any other event that stops the clock.
*** Includes inadvertent whistle and period extension.

15. 40/25 Play Clock Administrative stoppages are situations such as:
Chains tangles up or break
Wet ball not relayed in time
Dog runs on the field
With a 40-second play clock, the ball is ready for play when an official spots the ball (usually the Umpire) and steps away to his position (2-35).
When the 40‐second play clock is running, the effective ready‐for‐play is the spotting of the ball. The impacted rules are:
2‐25‐1 (establishment of the line of scrimmage)
2‐26‐5 (establishment of the line‐to‐gain)
2‐28‐1 (establishment of the neutral zone)
2‐8 and 7‐1‐5 (encroachment)
5‐3‐1 (designation of a new series), 7‐1‐3 (snapper restrictions)
7‐1‐7 (false start)
7‐2‐1 (nine‐yard mark compliance)

16. 40/25 Play Clock – Sensitivities
Interruption of a 40 second play clock
If the 40-second count is interrupted for reasons beyond the control of the officials or the play-clock operator (e.g., chains break), the referee shall stop the game clock and signal that the play clock should be re-set at 25 seconds and started immediately.
Administrative stoppages
Re‐set
The signal is one arm with an open palm pumped into the air. If the ball is not spotted with approximately 20 seconds remaining on the play clock, the referee will re‐set the play clock by whistling the ready‐for‐play.

17. 40/25 Play Clock – Mechanics
Responsibilities
The 40‐second play clock is maintained by the Back Judge in a 5‐man crew and by the Referee in a 4‐man crew. The play clock starts as soon as the play ends and the ball is dead.
Starting the play clock
The covering official’s signal will designate when to start the play clock. When the ball is declared dead, the play clock starts when the following signals are given (only one signal is used):
The dead ball signal (S7) to indicate the play has ended inbounds. The covering official will raise his arm straight up for two seconds.
The start‐the‐clock signal (S2) to indicate the play has ended inbounds near the sideline.
The stop‐the‐clock signal (S3) to indicate the play has ended out of bounds.
The incomplete pass signal (S10).
Countdown
When a visible play clock is not available, the arm will be raised with 10 seconds remaining and kept raised up to the five‐second mark at which time each second will be chopped.
In a 5‐man crew, the signaling official will be the Back Judge
For a 4‐man crew, it will be the Referee. In a 4‐man crew, the Referee may also verbalize to the quarterback “10 seconds” when such time remains

18. 40/25 Play Clock – Mechanics
Chain crew
When the 40‐second count applies, the ball can be snapped as soon as it is spotted. That requires the “box man” to hustle to the next spot after instructed by the Linesman. If the box is not in place when the snap is imminent, the Linesman will drop a bean bag to indicate the placement of the box. The play clock should not be re‐set to 25‐seconds because of a slow chain crew.
First down inbounds
When a first down is gained and the play ends inbounds, the clock stops to award the new series but the 40‐second play clock starts when the ball becomes dead (it is not an administrative stoppage). Although the ball normally can be snapped as soon as it is spotted, in this special case, it cannot be snapped until the game clock is re‐started. Thus the Umpire will stand over the ball to prevent a snap until the Referee signals the game clock to start.
Umpires
The only requirement is that the Umpire will hold the snap to allow the officials to get into position.
Learn the name of each team’s snapper
With the new play clock rule, teams will continue to run a hurry-up offense as quickly as possible. Not having to wait for the RFP signal means they will be ready to go immediately after the previous play. The offense gets to set the pace of play.
B does not get the consideration of matching personnel when A substitutes.

19. 40/25 Play Clock – Ball boys
Start the game with 2 balls from each team (minimum of 1 ball boy from each team) on the press box side (4 balls total), and 1 ball from each team (minimum of 1 ball boy holding a ball for each team) on the sticks side (2 balls total). (Having each team provide a ball boy on each side is ideal though.)
All changes of possession come from the LJ side (while the HL is setting the chains after the change of possession).
The offensive team will have one ball in play and one ball on each sideline.
Pass goes incomplete to the LJ side, rotate a ball in from that side.
Pass goes incomplete to the HL side, rotate a ball in from that side.
Pass goes incomplete to the middle - consider using the far hash as the line of demarcation. Anything past the far hash (opposite press box) rotates in from the HL side. All others are from LJ side.
Run ends near the sideline, you can spot the current ball at your feet and rotate a ball in from the ball boy if you wish.
Ball boys shag the incomplete passes OOB.
More emphasis of rotating balls when teams are throwing a lot. Plays that end inbounds can generally keep the same ball in the game.
Consistency throughout state. Bring this info back to your area coaches now.
Understand that this is the standard in the state and expect in playoffs
Telling you first

20. 40/25 Play Clock – Video

21. Unsportsmanlike Conduct (UNS) Fouls4
Unsportsmanlike Conduct (UNS) Fouls

22. Unsportsmanlike Conduct (UNS) Fouls
ILLEGAL PERSONAL CONTACT (9-4)
NONCONTACT UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT BY PLAYERS (9-5-1)
a. Baiting or taunting acts or words … which engender ill will.
Note: the NFHS disapproves of any form of taunting which is intended or designed to embarrass, ridicule or demean others under any circumstances
c. Any delayed, excessive or prolonged act by which a player attempts to focus attention upon himself.
Example - the player that gives a 1st down signal after a play is over.
Is it a quick signal without the ball, or with the ball?
Is it a more prolonged signal, with or without the ball?
Is it an exaggerated signal or a normal signal?
Does he drop the ball out of his hand?
Does he give the signal while standing over an opponent?
Does he give the signal in the vicinity of an opponent’s face?

23. Unsportsmanlike Conduct (UNS) Fouls
NONCONTACT UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT BY PLAYERS (9-5-1)
a. Baiting or taunting acts or words … which engender ill will.
Note: the NFHS disapproves of any form of taunting which is intended or designed to embarrass, ridicule or demean others under any circumstances
c. Any delayed, excessive or prolonged act by which a player attempts to focus attention upon himself.
Other Examples
Throat Slash
Shooting a Gun
Spinning the ball on end
Dancing
#1 Finger in the air
“Feed Me” gesture
Superman gesture
Flexing Biceps

24. Thank You! June 15, 2019 Happy Fathers Day
Hear more on rules this year due to new 40 second clock – most significant change to rules in 25+ years
Starting early in order to be prepared and have consistency across the state.