NFHS FOOTBALL RULES EXAM WITH AUTHENTIC QUESTIONS AND
FULLY VALIDATED CORRECT ANSWERS (NEWEST VERSION)
1. Q: What are the dimensions of a high school football field? A: 120 yards
long (including end zones) by 53⅓ yards wide.
2. Q: How deep are the end zones in high school football? A: 10 yards deep.
3. Q: Where are the hash marks located on a high school field? A: 53 feet, 4
inches from each sideline (narrower than college/pro).
4. Q: What is the distance between goal posts in high school football? A: 23
feet, 4 inches apart.
5. Q: How high must the crossbar be on goal posts? A: 10 feet above the
ground.
6. Q: What is the length of a regulation high school football game? A: Four
12-minute quarters (48 minutes total).
7. Q: How long is halftime in high school football? A: 20 minutes maximum.
8. Q: What is the distance for hash marks from the goal line? A: Hash
marks are placed every 5 yards from goal line to goal line.
9. Q: Where is the team area (sideline) located? A: Between the 25-yard lines
on each side.
10. Q: What is the coaching box area? A: A designated area between the 25-
yard lines where coaches may stand.
Players & Equipment
11. Q: How many players are allowed on the field for each team during
play? A: 11 players maximum.
12. Q: What happens if a team has 12 players on the field during a down?
A: 5-yard penalty for illegal participation.
13. Q: What type of helmet is required in NFHS football? A: A helmet
meeting NOCSAE standards with a properly fitted faceguard.
,14. Q: Are mouth guards required in high school football? A: Yes, mouth
guards are mandatory for all players.
15. Q: What jersey number ranges are legal for different positions? A:
Centers: 50-79; Guards: 50-79; Tackles: 50-79; Ends: 1-49, 80-99; Backs: 1-49;
Linebackers: 1-59, 90-99.
16. Q: Can a player wear jewelry during a game? A: No, jewelry is
prohibited unless it's religious or medical and taped down.
17. Q: What is the penalty for illegal equipment? A: Player must leave the
game for one play to correct the equipment.
18. Q: Are eye shields allowed on helmets? A: Only clear eye shields are
allowed, unless prescribed by a physician.
19. Q: What color must the home team wear? A: Dark colored jerseys
(visiting team wears white).
20. Q: Can players wear towels during the game? A: Yes, but towels must be
white and no larger than 4 inches by 12 inches.
Timing & Clock Rules
21. Q: When does the game clock start after a timeout? A: On the snap for a
scrimmage play, or when the ball is kicked for a free kick.
22. Q: When does the clock stop after a first down? A: The clock stops
momentarily while the chains are moved, then starts on the ready-for-play
signal.
23. Q: When does the clock stop after an incomplete pass? A: The clock
stops and starts on the snap of the next play.
24. Q: What is the play clock in high school football? A: 25 seconds from the
ready-for-play signal.
25. Q: When does the play clock start after a timeout? A: When the ready-
for-play signal is given.
26. Q: Does the clock run when a runner goes out of bounds? A: Yes, the
clock continues to run (unlike college/pro rules).
27. Q: When does the clock stop for an injury? A: Immediately when an
official determines a player is injured.
28. Q: What happens if the play clock expires? A: Delay of game penalty - 5
yards.
, 29. Q: When does the clock start after a penalty? A: Depends on when the
clock was stopped - usually on the ready-for-play signal.
30. Q: How much time is added for a team timeout? A: Each team gets three
timeouts per half, each lasting 90 seconds.
Downs & Distance
31. Q: How many downs does a team get to advance 10 yards? A: Four
downs.
32. Q: What happens when a team gains a first down? A: They get a new set
of four downs.
33. Q: Where is the ball spotted after a touchback? A: On the 20-yard line.
34. Q: What constitutes a first down? A: Advancing the ball to or beyond the
line to gain.
35. Q: Can a team decline a penalty that would result in a first down? A:
Yes, the receiving team can decline any penalty.
36. Q: What is the distance for a first down after a 5-yard penalty? A: The
line to gain moves back 5 yards from where it was.
37. Q: When is a new series of downs awarded? A: After a first down, change
of possession, or certain penalties.
38. Q: What happens on 4th down if the team doesn't make a first down?
A: The ball is turned over to the other team at the spot.
39. Q: Can the defense decline a penalty that would give the offense a first
down? A: Yes, all penalties may be declined by the offended team.
40. Q: What is the line to gain? A: The yard line the offense must reach to
earn a first down.
Kicking Game
41. Q: How is a kickoff executed? A: The ball is kicked from a tee on the
kicking team's 40-yard line.
42. Q: What happens if a kickoff goes out of bounds? A: The receiving team
gets the ball at their 35-yard line.
43. Q: Can the kicking team recover their own kickoff? A: Yes, but only
after it travels 10 yards or is touched by the receiving team.
FULLY VALIDATED CORRECT ANSWERS (NEWEST VERSION)
1. Q: What are the dimensions of a high school football field? A: 120 yards
long (including end zones) by 53⅓ yards wide.
2. Q: How deep are the end zones in high school football? A: 10 yards deep.
3. Q: Where are the hash marks located on a high school field? A: 53 feet, 4
inches from each sideline (narrower than college/pro).
4. Q: What is the distance between goal posts in high school football? A: 23
feet, 4 inches apart.
5. Q: How high must the crossbar be on goal posts? A: 10 feet above the
ground.
6. Q: What is the length of a regulation high school football game? A: Four
12-minute quarters (48 minutes total).
7. Q: How long is halftime in high school football? A: 20 minutes maximum.
8. Q: What is the distance for hash marks from the goal line? A: Hash
marks are placed every 5 yards from goal line to goal line.
9. Q: Where is the team area (sideline) located? A: Between the 25-yard lines
on each side.
10. Q: What is the coaching box area? A: A designated area between the 25-
yard lines where coaches may stand.
Players & Equipment
11. Q: How many players are allowed on the field for each team during
play? A: 11 players maximum.
12. Q: What happens if a team has 12 players on the field during a down?
A: 5-yard penalty for illegal participation.
13. Q: What type of helmet is required in NFHS football? A: A helmet
meeting NOCSAE standards with a properly fitted faceguard.
,14. Q: Are mouth guards required in high school football? A: Yes, mouth
guards are mandatory for all players.
15. Q: What jersey number ranges are legal for different positions? A:
Centers: 50-79; Guards: 50-79; Tackles: 50-79; Ends: 1-49, 80-99; Backs: 1-49;
Linebackers: 1-59, 90-99.
16. Q: Can a player wear jewelry during a game? A: No, jewelry is
prohibited unless it's religious or medical and taped down.
17. Q: What is the penalty for illegal equipment? A: Player must leave the
game for one play to correct the equipment.
18. Q: Are eye shields allowed on helmets? A: Only clear eye shields are
allowed, unless prescribed by a physician.
19. Q: What color must the home team wear? A: Dark colored jerseys
(visiting team wears white).
20. Q: Can players wear towels during the game? A: Yes, but towels must be
white and no larger than 4 inches by 12 inches.
Timing & Clock Rules
21. Q: When does the game clock start after a timeout? A: On the snap for a
scrimmage play, or when the ball is kicked for a free kick.
22. Q: When does the clock stop after a first down? A: The clock stops
momentarily while the chains are moved, then starts on the ready-for-play
signal.
23. Q: When does the clock stop after an incomplete pass? A: The clock
stops and starts on the snap of the next play.
24. Q: What is the play clock in high school football? A: 25 seconds from the
ready-for-play signal.
25. Q: When does the play clock start after a timeout? A: When the ready-
for-play signal is given.
26. Q: Does the clock run when a runner goes out of bounds? A: Yes, the
clock continues to run (unlike college/pro rules).
27. Q: When does the clock stop for an injury? A: Immediately when an
official determines a player is injured.
28. Q: What happens if the play clock expires? A: Delay of game penalty - 5
yards.
, 29. Q: When does the clock start after a penalty? A: Depends on when the
clock was stopped - usually on the ready-for-play signal.
30. Q: How much time is added for a team timeout? A: Each team gets three
timeouts per half, each lasting 90 seconds.
Downs & Distance
31. Q: How many downs does a team get to advance 10 yards? A: Four
downs.
32. Q: What happens when a team gains a first down? A: They get a new set
of four downs.
33. Q: Where is the ball spotted after a touchback? A: On the 20-yard line.
34. Q: What constitutes a first down? A: Advancing the ball to or beyond the
line to gain.
35. Q: Can a team decline a penalty that would result in a first down? A:
Yes, the receiving team can decline any penalty.
36. Q: What is the distance for a first down after a 5-yard penalty? A: The
line to gain moves back 5 yards from where it was.
37. Q: When is a new series of downs awarded? A: After a first down, change
of possession, or certain penalties.
38. Q: What happens on 4th down if the team doesn't make a first down?
A: The ball is turned over to the other team at the spot.
39. Q: Can the defense decline a penalty that would give the offense a first
down? A: Yes, all penalties may be declined by the offended team.
40. Q: What is the line to gain? A: The yard line the offense must reach to
earn a first down.
Kicking Game
41. Q: How is a kickoff executed? A: The ball is kicked from a tee on the
kicking team's 40-yard line.
42. Q: What happens if a kickoff goes out of bounds? A: The receiving team
gets the ball at their 35-yard line.
43. Q: Can the kicking team recover their own kickoff? A: Yes, but only
after it travels 10 yards or is touched by the receiving team.
