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NFHS Rule Changes for 2020

4/14/2020

5 Comments

 
Disconcerting Act Foul and Penalty Reclassified [7-1-9 (NEW), 7-1-9 PENALTY (NEW)]
       Prior to the 2020 rule change, the rule book said that, "Using disconcerting acts or words prior to the snap in an attempt to interfere with A’s signals or movements"
was an unsportsmanlike foul and was assessed 15 yards. I was the umpire in a playoff game in Commerce with Referee Steve Brennan. The defensive line were making loud vocal sounds as the opposing quarterback was calling his signals. I told the defense after a play early in the game that they would have to stop because Mr. Brennan would not let that fly. The next play they repeated their vocalizations and the offense had a lineman jump into a false start. The false start was penalized, but Steve stepped toward their defense and told them that any future disconcerting acts would be penalized. The players were absolutely livid, but they stopped doing it.
           I don't remember if it was at halftime or after the game but the home team coach, whose team had been given the warning, uttered one of the more cliche coaching statements of all time. "We've been doing that all year and no other crew penalized it." Why weren't other crews penalizing it? Can we arbitrarily disregard a rule because we think its silly? The National Federation of High Schools concluded that officials weren't making the call because it was a 15 yard penalty and an unsportsmanlike foul to boot. 
As of 2020, disconcerting acts or words by the defense has been reclassified from a unsportsmanlike foul to a disconcerting act foul, and the penalty changed from 15 yards to 5 yards.
  1. ​What are your thoughts about the disconcerting act foul?
  2. Will this rule change affect how you enforce this rule? Why or why not?​
To reply, click on the "comments" link at the top or bottom of the page.
5 Comments
Harold Lindsey link
4/20/2020 10:16:55 am

This is something that should be discussed in our weekly meetings. Things are getting worse.

Reply
Thom Brooks
4/20/2020 10:56:41 am

Ten years ago, I threw an Unsportsmanlike on a Coach at Daffin Park. He was telling the other team's defenders to "Go" before his team snapped the ball. If it's only going to be a 5 yard penalty, I would hope it is for the first offense, along with automatic First Down, with 15 yard and ejection the next times. The offender could use that to his advantage, but then there is always Rule 9-5, Unfair Acts.

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Mark Case
4/21/2020 08:32:28 am

In this months Referee magazine, they mention that one of the Federations rationale is that it seemed inequitable to penalize the defense 15 yards when the offense would only be penalized 5 yards for a false start for jumping in response to the defense. When the penalty is 15 yards, some officials will try and be mind readers to determine intent. Were they trying to interfere with the signals or were they just making their defensive calls? With the 5 yard penalty, there is no mind reading. There will be some discussion points, however. Could calling formation strength be confused with a cadence call?

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Willie
4/21/2020 09:08:00 am

This actually was a waist, more and more teams are going with the QB clapping cadence. Very hard for a defense to do then hide it, but hey we already have one million rules why not add one more to remember!

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Mark Case link
4/21/2020 05:16:37 pm

Really, they just decriminalized disconcerting acts. That is at least a more friendly change. I get your point about the hand clap, but there are occasions... When you are a D lineman you attack on movement. When you are an O lineman, especially in a down stance, you go on sound.

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    Mark Case has been a member of the CFOA for nearly 30 years.  He is the secretary of the CFOA.

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