Prep football rules changes for 2023

A change in how a holding penalty is enforced was the biggest notable change in high school football rules in 2023 by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

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.

“This is an excellent rule change that the majority of game officials and coaches requested and that our NFHS Football Rules Committee members approved unanimously,” said Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association assistant director Richard Mcwhirter, who is the chair of the NFHS Football Rules Committee. “I believe this change will make the rule clearer for coaches and easier for game officials to administer.”

The rule change is one of several revisions approved by the NFHS Board of Directors for the 2023 high school football season.

Other rule revisions include: h 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.

h 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.

h 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.

h A player equipment change now permits player towels to have one manufacturer’s logo and/or one school logo. Neither can exceed 2 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.

Reach Tom Kreager at 615-259-8089 or tkreager@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Kreager.