Football News
AOS 2023-24 Meetings Complete
We have concluded our Football meetings for the 23-24 season. You can find content from these meetings in the knowledge base section of each sport.
If you need information about AOS, please click here to email us.
Football Rules Changes – 2023
By NFHS on May 24, 2023
Clarified That Towels Do Not Have To Be The Same Solid Color For Each Player [1- 5-3a(5)a 4, 5 (NEW)] — Player towels may contain one manufacturer’s logo and/or one school logo neither exceeding 2¼ square inches. Towels must be a solid color but now do not have to be the same solid color for each player. Towels may not be ball- or penalty-flag colored.
Clarified When a Player Is Inbounds After Being Out of Bounds [2-29-1] — This change clarifies when a player is inbounds after being out of bounds. There is no change to any foul or subsequent penalty provisions, or any rules related to illegal participation or the provisions regarding eligibility to catch a pass.
Added A List of Criteria to Help Identify Players Who Should Be Defined as Defenseless Receivers [2-32-16d (NEW), 9-4-3g] — This change adds to the list of criteria to help identify players who should be defined as defenseless receivers related to application of unnecessary or excessive contact. This clarification should help game officials and coaches by defining allowable contact against defenseless receivers.
Intentional Grounding Exception Changed [7-5-2d EXCEPTION 2a, c (NEW), TABLE 7-5-2 d EXCEPTION 2a, c (NEW), TABLE 7-5 (1)d EXCEPTION 2a, c (NEW)] — This change permits the exception for intentional grounding to the first and only player to possess the ball after the snap ends.
Removed “Intentional” From Pass Interference in TABLE 7-5 [TABLE 7-5 2c (DELETED), 7-5 PENALTY] — By removing “intentional” from pass interference, this change puts the rule in line with how it is already enforced which is a 15-yard penalty.
Changes In Basic Spot Penalty Enforcement [10-4, TABLE 10-4 (NEW), 10-6 (DELETED)] — This change restructures and clarifies the amendments to Rule 10 to eliminate the excessive penalty enforcements for offensive fouls that occur behind the line of scrimmage. This revision stipulates the basic spot for enforcement of fouls behind the line of scrimmage is the previous spot rather than the spot of the foul unless otherwise specified by rule. Current penalties for illegal kicking, batting and participation fouls, and provisions for offensive fouls occurring in the end zone that may result in a safety remain intact.
Clarification On The Ball Being Handed Forward On A Running Play [Six-Player – Rule 7g (NEW)] — The change allows the ball to be handed forward on a running play, including to the guards/ends, while prohibiting handing the ball to the snapper provided both players are behind the neutral zone.
2023 EDITORIAL CHANGES
1-1-7; 1-1-9; 1-3-2; 1-3-7 NOTE; TABLE 1-7; 1-8 (NEW); 3-6-1b(1); TABLE 7-5 (1) d EXCEPTION 2; 9-5-1; 9-8-1; FOOTBALL FUNDAMENTALS – II-5, X-3, X-5; RESOLVING TIED GAMES – 3-1; NINE-, EIGHT- AND SIX-PLAYER RULES DIFFERENCES – RULES 2 and 7; PENALTY SUMMARY; INDEX.
2023 POINTS OF EMPHASIS
- Helping the Runner
- Communication Between Coaches and Game Officials
- Game Management
HUDL Video Requests
Any official who requests a video share from a school on HUDL must be a member of a participating Officials Association such as AOS. The requests are handled through the crew chiefs.
If you are a crew chief, please click here to email us with the names of your crew and your 2023 Football Game Schedule. Please do not screen shot arbiter and send it to us. That means we have to manually enter each game and crew members. Please send us a list either typed out or exported into excel.
For your schedule, we just need the Game Date, Home School and Visiting School. For crew members, we need Name and Email Address.
If you are not a crew chief and your crew chief is a member of a participating Officials Organization, they should handle video requests through their organization. If your crew chief or anyone on your crew is not a member of such an organization, we would be happy to send them a membership application to AOS.
Please do not share usernames and passwords. HUDL does not take this procedure lightly and will revoke membership if their rules are not followed. If you have any questions, just email us.
You should also advise both head coaches that Suburban Officials will be requesting video of their game. You can use a game card to hand to both coaches. Click here for an example of the game card. You should include the following information on your notification to the coaches:
School: Suburban Officials
Team: Boys Varsity Football
{crew chief name} will be requesting a one-way video exchange. Please include ODK and Down/Distance as well as all camera angles.
We are looking forward to a great season and being able to use this very valuable tool to help us all get better at officiating.