•Permits commercial advertising in the end zone

•Advertising shall be no closer than 2 feet to the boundary and goal lines

•Marking will not impact the game administration

•Decision is left to game administration as to whether or not commercial markings are to be permitted

•Specifies line-to-gain and down indicators to be operated 6 feet off the field, if playing enclosure permits

•Keeps equipment a better distance from players and officials

•In 2005 helmets were required to be held in place by a chin strap that has at least 4 snaps. This requirement was voted to be effective with the 2006 season.

•In 2005 mouth guards were required to be made of a material that were not totally white or clear.

•At the interscholastic level, almost all helmets were being shipped with at least a 4-snap chin strap. 

•The 4-snap chin strap, according to the manufacturer’s directions, will hold the helmet in place more securely.

•By requiring a mouth guard that is not totally white or clear both coaches and officials can better monitor the wearing of this piece of required equipment.

•Beginning with the 2010 season visiting team’s jerseys must be basically white.  Home team’s jerseys will also be restricted in the use of white.

•Over the past years jerseys, both home and away, have become confusing to opponents, officials, media and spectators.  With this change confusion should be lessened. Home team jerseys will be less restricted and therefore allow schools to be creative in their design.

•Anyone involved in a sideline charged conference may use the phones or headsets.

•The committee felt there was no advantage gained by either team when anyone involved in a sideline charged time out to use communications devices.

•This change does not affect the use of a communication device by the coach when the conference is held in the middle of the field.   However, no player involved in the middle of the field conference may use any communication device.

•Sideline conferences shall be held between the 9-yard marks and the sideline in front of their respective team benches

•The change gives both teams and officials a more clearly defined area in which to conduct an authorized sideline conference.  Prior to this change, it was difficult to determine whether or not attendees were meeting the rule.

•Player status does not change until the player contacts the ball with the knee, lower leg or foot.

•Judgment of covering official as to the type of contact

•Was contact incidental? (9-4-5c or d)

•The definition was needed in order to determine when a runner becomes a kicker.

•Player status does not change until the player contacts the ball with the knee, lower leg or foot.

•Judgment of covering official as to the type of contact

•Was contact unavoidable? (9-4-5a)

•Substitution and participation are more clearly defined

•Participation now has its own definition: “Any act or action by a player or nonplayer that has influence on play.” (2-29)

•A replaced player or substitute who enters the field during a down, but does not participate is guilty of illegal substitution. Penalty enforced from the succeeding spot. (Fund 4)

•Illegal participation is a 15-yard spot foul.

•The holder is now allowed to recover a short snap that bounces high in the same way a high snap is handled

•The holder may rise to secure the snap and:

•immediately return to a knee(s) and

•then rise and run or pass

•The holder may go after an errand snap and:

•immediately return to a knee(s) and

•then rise and run or pass

•The “loose ball play” is no longer legal

•Committee strongly supported its removal

•Ability of a lineman to take a handoff still exists by meeting the following:

•Lineman must clearly turn and face his goal line by moving both feet in a half turn, and

•Be at least 1 yard behind his line when he receives the ball (7-3-2a)

•An ineligible A player touching a legal forward pass is no longer guilty of offensive pass interference;

•The penalty is illegal touching (7-5-13)

•Two penalty situations:

•Ineligible downfield or

•Ineligible downfield and illegal touching (next slide)

•Normal contact can occur with the helmet, but it is in conjunction with a blocking technique

•Intent should not be judged

•Warning players may be appropriate to stop the action (2-40)

•“Intentional” has been removed from the rule

•Normal contact can occur with the helmet: leading with the helmet is a clue to spearing

•Severe injury could occur, especially to the person delivering the blow

•Injuries are part of sports, but this injury can be reduced by proper coaching and officiating

•Normal contact can occur, but “putting the mask on the numbers” is a clue to the illegal act

•Severe injury could occur, especially to the person delivering the blow