Since the It&8217;s Official column was originally designed to help the non-sophisticated high school and college football fan gain some insight into the rules and officiating of those games, I guess that now I must spend some time and space on those items, and get away from discussing personalities a while. This is &8220;fair warning&8221; that today&8217;s column is about those rules.

Most high schools officially start football practice in less than a month (colleges start about the same time). National Federation (high school) football rules show a number of changes for the 2006 season, but most of those will be hardly noticed by the average fan.

Visually, the most noticeable is that all high school fields will now contain the nine-yard markings. Those are the numbers showing each 10-yard line, with the tops of those numbers being nine yards in from the sidelines. College fields have had those numbers for several years. The purpose of that rule is that several rules changes refer to those nine-yard markers. Hereafter, each player for team A (the team that puts the ball in play) must be between those nine-yard markers after the referee marks the ball ready for play. Also, a member of either team may wear a headset during a conference with his coaches, as long as he is at his team sideline and outside of the nine-yard markers.

Another change for 2006 is that, as in a college rule change several years ago, the fumblerooskie is no longer legal. The fumblerooskie takes place when a ball is intentionally placed on the ground and then advanced by an interior lineman.

This season, in high school football, any spearing will be penalized. Intent will no longer be a factor. Also, many years after college rules outlawed it, more than one forward pass will not be legal.

Fans will notice (and, I hope, public address announcers, too) that illegal procedure has died in high school football, following the lead of college ball recently). Hereafter, each such infraction will have its own signal and name. In other words, motion before the snap by an offensive lineman will be illegal motion and will no longer fall under the old umbrella of illegal procedure.

While not necessarily a change, one really noticeable difference in the high school and college rules involves pass interference. What could be interference, but occurs away from the ball, is not interference. It could be any of several other fouls. Also, in high school football, unlike in college ball, face guarding is illegal. In college football there must be contact before interference can be ruled.

This information is a vast over simplification of the rules changes and differences, but remember, for the good official, complete rules knowledge is but one facet of preparation. Conditioning, knowledge of mechanics (where to be and when to be there) and judgement are all equally important.

If this information helps even one casual football fan enjoy the game more, then it has been worth it. And, That&8217;s Official.

Al Graning is a former SEC official and former Natchez resident. Reach him at

AlanWard39157@aol.com

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