Football Regulations
New – 2008
➢ Tests; watch the website http://www.ndhsaa.com/ for details and updates
Click HERE for 2008 Football Field Diagram
GENERAL REGULATIONS
1. The season is determined by the NDHSAA Board of Directors
2. High school teams may schedule 9 games and one pre-season scrimmage.
3. JrHi school teams may schedule 8 games and one pre-season scrimmage
4. Nine daily practices (counting only one per day) are required for teams and individuals prior to the first interscholastic competition. The first three days for each individual are for conditioning and while shoulder pads and helmets can be worn, there shall be no inter-player contact.
5. No more than 2 games may be played by a team in any seven day period or more than 8 quarters(high school) 6 quarters (JrHi school) by an individual (The penalty for violation is; forfeit the game in which the violation occurred and the student who violated must sit out the next scheduled day/night of competition)
6. Overtimes are to be played at the varsity level only.
7. Officials registered by the NDHSAA are required for high school games. High school juniors and seniors who are registered can officiate high school games below the JV level with a registered adult (for JrHi, it is recommended that the adult be a registered official).
8. No games may be played after the state finals.
9. The NDHSAA will select dates, times and sites (normally the home field of the higher seeded team) for all play-off games. When non-school facilities are used, the maximum fee to be paid by the NDHSAA is $500.
10. The higher seeded team will be designated as the home team. When like seeds play, the odd number region will be designated as the home team in odd number years and vice versa. (When like seeds and regions play as per a 11/21/06 coin-flip, the bottom line is “home”.)
11. A team that forfeits a game for reasons other than “acts of God” will be ineligible for play-offs. A team receiving a forfeit will receive a 17-point maximum in tie-breaking situations.
12. The NDHSAA will select all officials and assign jersey colors for play-off games.
13. For play-offs, eleven-man teams may dress a maximum of 50 players and nine-man teams may dress a maximum of 40 players. Only 50/40 can wear team jerseys
14. There will be no scheduled practices the day before the Dakota Bowl unless it is a non-school day for all schools involved. When allowed, all arrangements for said practices are the responsibility of the individual schools. (NDHSAA Board 8/11/2000)
15. The NDHSAA will provide suitable team awards for first, second and teams defeated in semifinals.
16. Individual participation awards will be provided for all quarterfinal and defeated semifinal teams with champions and runners-up receiving plaques (A max. of 41 per 9-man team, the schools will be billed for 7 and 51 per 11-man team, each school will be billed for 10). A container with all the awards will be given to the coach who shall organize team personnel for recognition of each and remind players that their game jerseys need to be worn for said recognition.
17. Teams will furnish their own game balls unless the coaches agree to use the same ball.
18. Headphones may be used during play-offs if provided for both teams.
19. The football running time provision in rule 3-1-1 will be implemented as follows:
After the first half, whenever the point differential reaches 30 or more, the clock will continue running when...
A. The ball goes out of bounds.
B. A forward pass is incomplete.
C. After a touchdown and during the try (unless it reduces the lead to less than 30 points). The clock will be stopped on all other situations as specified in rule 3-4-4. Review official's timeouts 3-5-7.
Note: The use of this rule does not preclude rule 3-1-3, which reads: “A period or periods may be shortened in any emergency by agreement by opposing coaches and the referee. By mutual agreement of the opposing coaches and the referee, any remaining period may be shortened at any time or the game terminated.”
Tests:
Online tests will be available and must be completed between August 26th & September 2nd.
* Watch the website http://www.ndhsaa.com/ for details and updates.
** Penalty for not completing the test within this time is: Coaches $25 which must be paid before any post season play and Officials will drop one classification.