Master the 2026/2027 NFHS
Football Rules: 300 Practice
Questions with Verified Answers
1. What are the official dimensions of a high school football
field, excluding the end zones?
• Answer: 100 yards long by 53 yards, 3 inches wide .
2. How long is each end zone in high school football?
• Answer: 10 yards .
3. Are the hash marks in high school football the same
distance from the sidelines as in college football?
• Answer: No. NFHS hash marks are 53 feet, 4 inches from
each sideline (collegiate hash marks are 40 feet) .
4. What is the required thickness of the goal posts above
the crossbar?
• Answer: The goal posts must be at least 4 inches in
thickness .
5. How wide are the goal posts (inside to inside)?
• Answer: 23 feet, 4 inches .
6. How many players from one team are allowed on the
field during a live ball?
• Answer: 11 players .
,7. What is the maximum number of players a team can
have in the huddle or at the line of scrimmage before a
penalty is called?
• Answer: 11. A 12th player is a penalty (Illegal Substitution)
if they stay for more than 3 seconds or if the ball is
snapped .
8. What is the mandatory interior mouthguard requirement
in NFHS rules?
• Answer: All players must wear an intra-oral mouthpiece
that covers all upper teeth. It must be a visible color (not
white or clear) .
9. What is the maximum legal length of cleats on a player's
shoes?
• Answer: 1/2 inch .
10. Are "toe cleats" (a single cleat at the front tip of the
shoe) legal in NFHS football?
• Answer: No, toe cleats are illegal .
11. What is the required size of the numbers on the front
and back of player jerseys?
• Answer: At least 8 inches high on the back, and at least 10
inches high on the front .
12. If a game official calls a time-out because A1 appears
injured, must A1 leave the game?
• Answer: Yes, A1 must leave the game for at least one play
(3-5-10(a)) .
13. Are thigh guards required equipment by NFHS rules?
, • Answer: Yes, thigh guards which are unaltered from the
manufacturer's original design/production are required of
all players .
14. Who makes the final decision regarding legality of a
player's equipment?
• Answer: The umpire resolves any questions regarding
legality of player's equipment .
15. The ball must have which authenticating mark?
• Answer: The NFHS Authenticating Mark .
SECTION 2: GAME ADMINISTRATION &
TIMING
16. How long is a standard NFHS high school football
quarter?
• Answer: 12 minutes .
17. How long is the halftime intermission?
• Answer: 15 minutes (unless mutually agreed upon by both
teams to shorten it, but not less than 10 minutes) .
18. When does the clock start on a free kick (kickoff)?
• Answer: When the ball is legally touched in the field of
play .
19. When does the clock start on a scrimmage down
following a dead ball?
, • Answer: When the ball is legally snapped .
20. Under NFHS rules, does the clock stop to move the
chains after a first down?
• Answer: Yes, the clock stops briefly. It restarts when the
ball is marked ready for play, unless it was the last 2
minutes of the half .
21. When is a mandatory 10-second runoff applied?
• Answer: In the final two minutes of a half when a team
commits a foul that causes the clock to stop (e.g., false
start, intentional grounding) .
22. What is the "Mercy Rule" or "Running Clock" point
differential in NFHS?
• Answer: 35 points. When the point differential reaches 35,
the clock runs continuously for the remainder of the
game .
23. During a running clock (mercy rule) situation, when
does the clock stop?
• Answer: Only for timeouts, injuries, or scores .
24. Can a team use consecutive charged timeouts to stop
the clock?
• Answer: No, a team may not use consecutive charged
timeouts during the same dead ball period .
25. What is the NFHS overtime procedure?
• Answer: The ball is placed at the 10-yard line. Each team
gets one series of downs to score. If still tied, the process
repeats .
Football Rules: 300 Practice
Questions with Verified Answers
1. What are the official dimensions of a high school football
field, excluding the end zones?
• Answer: 100 yards long by 53 yards, 3 inches wide .
2. How long is each end zone in high school football?
• Answer: 10 yards .
3. Are the hash marks in high school football the same
distance from the sidelines as in college football?
• Answer: No. NFHS hash marks are 53 feet, 4 inches from
each sideline (collegiate hash marks are 40 feet) .
4. What is the required thickness of the goal posts above
the crossbar?
• Answer: The goal posts must be at least 4 inches in
thickness .
5. How wide are the goal posts (inside to inside)?
• Answer: 23 feet, 4 inches .
6. How many players from one team are allowed on the
field during a live ball?
• Answer: 11 players .
,7. What is the maximum number of players a team can
have in the huddle or at the line of scrimmage before a
penalty is called?
• Answer: 11. A 12th player is a penalty (Illegal Substitution)
if they stay for more than 3 seconds or if the ball is
snapped .
8. What is the mandatory interior mouthguard requirement
in NFHS rules?
• Answer: All players must wear an intra-oral mouthpiece
that covers all upper teeth. It must be a visible color (not
white or clear) .
9. What is the maximum legal length of cleats on a player's
shoes?
• Answer: 1/2 inch .
10. Are "toe cleats" (a single cleat at the front tip of the
shoe) legal in NFHS football?
• Answer: No, toe cleats are illegal .
11. What is the required size of the numbers on the front
and back of player jerseys?
• Answer: At least 8 inches high on the back, and at least 10
inches high on the front .
12. If a game official calls a time-out because A1 appears
injured, must A1 leave the game?
• Answer: Yes, A1 must leave the game for at least one play
(3-5-10(a)) .
13. Are thigh guards required equipment by NFHS rules?
, • Answer: Yes, thigh guards which are unaltered from the
manufacturer's original design/production are required of
all players .
14. Who makes the final decision regarding legality of a
player's equipment?
• Answer: The umpire resolves any questions regarding
legality of player's equipment .
15. The ball must have which authenticating mark?
• Answer: The NFHS Authenticating Mark .
SECTION 2: GAME ADMINISTRATION &
TIMING
16. How long is a standard NFHS high school football
quarter?
• Answer: 12 minutes .
17. How long is the halftime intermission?
• Answer: 15 minutes (unless mutually agreed upon by both
teams to shorten it, but not less than 10 minutes) .
18. When does the clock start on a free kick (kickoff)?
• Answer: When the ball is legally touched in the field of
play .
19. When does the clock start on a scrimmage down
following a dead ball?
, • Answer: When the ball is legally snapped .
20. Under NFHS rules, does the clock stop to move the
chains after a first down?
• Answer: Yes, the clock stops briefly. It restarts when the
ball is marked ready for play, unless it was the last 2
minutes of the half .
21. When is a mandatory 10-second runoff applied?
• Answer: In the final two minutes of a half when a team
commits a foul that causes the clock to stop (e.g., false
start, intentional grounding) .
22. What is the "Mercy Rule" or "Running Clock" point
differential in NFHS?
• Answer: 35 points. When the point differential reaches 35,
the clock runs continuously for the remainder of the
game .
23. During a running clock (mercy rule) situation, when
does the clock stop?
• Answer: Only for timeouts, injuries, or scores .
24. Can a team use consecutive charged timeouts to stop
the clock?
• Answer: No, a team may not use consecutive charged
timeouts during the same dead ball period .
25. What is the NFHS overtime procedure?
• Answer: The ball is placed at the 10-yard line. Each team
gets one series of downs to score. If still tied, the process
repeats .
