I could never figure out why horse-collar tackles were illegal in college and professional football but they were not banned in the high school game. That will likely change next fall, however. The National Federation of State High School Associations, which oversees the high school football rule book, announced changes last week that makes the horse-collar tackle - taking a player down from behind by grabbing the inside of his shoulder pads behind the neck or pulling on the back of his jersey - illegal in the prep game. Such a tackle will now result in a 15-yard, personal-foul penalty from the end of the play.
This rule change doesn't have to be adopted by the S.C. High School League, but they typically are.
``Risk minimization continues to be one of the most important fundamentals to the rules-writing process of the NFHS,'' Julian Tackett, the chair of the NFHS Football Rules Committee, said in a release. ``Though this play does not happen often, we must ensure that our coaches and officials understand the importance of penalizing this act.''
It never made sense to me why the high school game was the last of three levels to adopt this ruling. Whether you think the removal of the horse-collar tackle is good for football or not - some people believes it's just another step toward taking violence out of a sport built on it - there is no doubt that high school players, who on average are much less athletic than those in college or the NFL, are more likely to get hurt by a horse-collar tackle.
There were nine other rules changes. Here are some highlights:
* The face mask rule has been expanded to include a player's chin strap along with the mask itself and the edge of the helmet.
* No team personnel are allowed within two yards of the playing surface during a play. Three coaches can be within that area in between plays to communicate with the players on the field, but then they are required to retreat into the team box. This is an effort to help lessen the injury risk to coaches, officials and players.
* After the halftime clock runs down, three minutes will be placed on the clock, giving the teams a warm-up period. If a team isn't back on the field when the three minutes begins, that team's coach will be hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
* Stripes on the football itself must run perpendicular to the ball's laces.
* A quarter is not extended for one untimed down if a penalty occurs that results in a safety.
