nhfs penalty for wearing equipment illegally or improperly

[skt101]

A1 does not have his mouth piece in during the scrimmage down. Is this a penalty or just a warning from the official? What about not wearing pants and knee pads that cover the knees?

[TxBJ]

Kindly advice... Post questions about NFHS rules in the National Federation forum.

[sir55]

The player is sent out for at least one play to correct the problem.

[ElvisLives]

What is NHFS?

[CalhounLJ]

A1 does not have his mouth piece in during the scrimmage down. Is this a penalty or just a warning from the official? What about not wearing pants and knee pads that cover the knees?

No it's not a penalty, if you discover it during the down.

[Grant - AR]

A1 does not have his mouth piece in during the scrimmage down. Is this a penalty or just a warning from the official? What about not wearing pants and knee pads that cover the knees?

If you see he's not using it properly before the down, I would hesitate to stop the game and flag it.  Get to him after the play and tell him to put it in and tell the coach he has to use a mouthpiece.  If they refuse, then flag it.  But, don't go nitpicking for things like that.  If you do, it will make for a long night. 

I would say the same thing about the pads covering the knees.  Work with them on these things.  If they don't care enough to protect themselves, don't worry too much about it.  We have a lot of other things to worry about. 

[refjeff]

If you see he's not using it properly before the down, I would hesitate to stop the game and flag it. Get to him after the play and tell him to put it in and tell the coach he has to use a mouthpiece.  If they refuse, then flag it.[/b]  But, don't go nitpicking for things like that.  If you do, it will make for a long night. 

I would say the same thing about the pads covering the knees.  Work with them on these things.  If they don't care enough to protect themselves, don't worry too much about it.  We have a lot of other things to worry about.

But it's not a foul.

If I see a mouthpiece out presnap I will tell the player.  "22!  Mouthpiece."  When the snap is imminent I will stop the clock and send him out.  If I see it out during the play, well I have no idea how it got like that.  It is never a foul.

We try to catch knee pads, and other equipment issues, before the game and then not look too closely once the game starts.  If we see pants that are clearly above the knee we stop the clock and send them out until it is resolved. 

By rule, these are never fouls.

If we keep giving warnings the coach will never solve the problem.

If we repeatedly send players out the coach will solve the problem. 

[AlUpstateNY]

But it's not a foul.

If I see a mouthpiece out presnap I will tell the player.  "22!  Mouthpiece."  When the snap is imminent I will stop the clock and send him out.  If I see it out during the play, well I have no idea how it got like that.  It is never a foul.We try to catch knee pads, and other equipment issues, before the game and then not look too closely once the game starts.  If we see pants that are clearly above the knee we stop the clock and send them out until it is resolved.  By rule, these are never fouls.

If we keep giving warnings the coach will never solve the problem.

If we repeatedly send players out the coach will solve the problem.

Practical  and (usually) effective advice. If an initial warning doesn't eliminate the problem, and it persists SEND THE PLAYER OFF.   Should something serious happen associated with the improperly worn (legal) equipment, that you observed and FAILED to correct/eliminate YOU could find yourself involved in subsequent legal matters. 

[Grant - AR]

But it's not a foul.

If I see a mouthpiece out presnap I will tell the player.  "22!  Mouthpiece."  When the snap is imminent I will stop the clock and send him out.  If I see it out during the play, well I have no idea how it got like that.  It is never a foul.

We try to catch knee pads, and other equipment issues, before the game and then not look too closely once the game starts.  If we see pants that are clearly above the knee we stop the clock and send them out until it is resolved. 

By rule, these are never fouls.

If we keep giving warnings the coach will never solve the problem.

If we repeatedly send players out the coach will solve the problem.

Practical  and (usually) effective advice. If an initial warning doesn't eliminate the problem, and it persists SEND THE PLAYER OFF.   Should something serious happen associated with the improperly worn (legal) equipment, that you observed and FAILED to correct/eliminate YOU could find yourself involved in subsequent legal matters.

refjeff, my mistake.  It's been many, many years since I worked a game in NFHS.  I think it was a foul the last time I worked under those rules.  Either the rules have changed or I haven't forgotten the rules...either is just as likely.

Al, I've had a different experience.  A few years ago, the NCAA tried to crack down on uniforms.  They told us to start sending players out for knee pads, etc.  In our first game that year, we sent out a player almost every other play for the first 15-20 plays of the game.  Nothing changed so we just started ignoring it.

[bama_stripes]

Our state has taken a “zero-tolerance” stance on the issue of pants covering the knees this year.  A state-wide email blast was sent to both coaches and officials before the season, and we are required to remind coaches of this during the pregame meeting.

Week 1: Team A scores a TD, kicker comes out wearing what could charitably be described as Bermuda shorts, gets sent out.  Team A has to waste a TO, runs an unsuccessful 2-pt attempt, and loses by 1.

Week 2:  Same team has all players wearing pants reminiscent of uniforms from the 1950s.

[AlUpstateNY]

Al, I've had a different experience.  A few years ago, the NCAA tried to crack down on uniforms.  They told us to start sending players out for knee pads, etc.  In our first game that year, we sent out a player almost every other play for the first 15-20 plays of the game.  Nothing changed so we just started ignoring it.

Alas, Grant NCAA is a different world about "influencing" rules. I tried for years to stop my dog from barking by scolding him, didn't work very well.  Then I started to slap his snout, big difference.

History has proven "some" Football Coaches will ignore advice FOREVER, but NFHS, dealing with younger, hopefully more impressionable  players & coaches added additional rule protections about  "safety/legal prohibitions and may be why they included 9-5-1-f (for players) and 9-8-1-b,c or d (for coaches) to encourage compliance.  Usually a subtle, but firm, constructive suggestion can avoid subsequent, harsher consequences, and avoid unnecessary repetition and consequence progression.

It's true you can, "catch more fly's with honey than vinegar", but holding a fly-swatter can be helpful.

[lukez]

refjeff, my mistake.  It's been many, many years since I worked a game in NFHS.  I think it was a foul the last time I worked under those rules.  Either the rules have changed or I haven't forgotten the rules...either is just as likely.

If you're curious, NFHS removed the failure to wear required equipment penalty just before the snap penalty in 2018 and replaced it with sending the player off.

On an interesting but unfortunate note, there was a local HS varsity game last week near me where the crew flagged and enforced this penalty a few times.

[riffraft]

If you're curious, NFHS removed the failure to wear required equipment penalty just before the snap penalty in 2018 and replaced it with sending the player off.

On an interesting but unfortunate note, there was a local HS varsity game last week near me where the crew flagged and enforced this penalty a few times.

Out of habit, I threw my flag last friday when I saw the QB wasn't wearing his mouthpiece (I watched him tuck it into his facemask as he was calling the signals.  I did remember to only send him off.

[AlUpstateNY]

Out of habit, I threw my flag last friday when I saw the QB wasn't wearing his mouthpiece (I watched him tuck it into his facemask as he was calling the signals.  I did remember to only send him off.

If you were able to stop play, and send him off before the snap, you saved a penalty and possible dental bill. If the snap beat your observance, he has to bear a consequence.

[refjeff]

If you were able to stop play, and send him off before the snap, you saved a penalty and possible dental bill. If the snap beat your observance, he has to bear a consequence.

But it's not a foul.

[AlUpstateNY]

But it's not a foul.

Stopping play and replacing the player, "for at least one down" may be considered by some, an avoidable, unnecessary consequence (NFHS 1-5-5).

[Ralph Damren]

If you're curious, NFHS removed the failure to wear required equipment penalty just before the snap penalty in 2018 and replaced it with sending the player off.

On an interesting but unfortunate note, there was a local HS varsity game last week near me where the crew flagged and enforced this penalty a few times.

I was intown back in 2018 when this occurred. Many  were timid on  it and would whisper : "Hey, #75, git ya' mouthpiece in .." Sometimes #75 would break his 3-point stance to ablige and git  for false start. We feared that letting the play continue with a danglling mouthpiece could result in a 'hockey player's grin'  and the feeling was that a one play detension would serfice. Note that the ole signal of failure to wear proper equipment has now reappeared as the signal for disconerting act.