New play clock rule will be put to the test

   With the kickoff of the high school football season less than 24 hours away, the most noticeable change to rules will be the implementation of a 40-second play clock for most in-game situations.
   In the past, the play clock was 25 seconds after the ball was officially set for the next snap. Now, the 40-second rundown will begin as soon as a play is whistled dead. It was approved by the National Federation of State High Schools' (NFHS) board of directors earlier this year.
   The 25-second clock will still be used prior to a conversion attempt, for starting a quarter or overtime series, following charged timeouts and when officials stop the clock for inadvertent whistles or their own timeouts.
   So in instances where there's a long incomplete pass, players will have to move quickly back to the line of scrimmage. It could also affect quarterbacks who go to the sideline to get their next play call or substitutions throughout a game.
   There are many fields that do not have play clocks behind their end zones, so players and coaches will still have to watch the back judge who raises his hand at the five-second mark.
   Many coaches are taking a wait-and-see approach to the new rule.
   "I'm not sure how I feel because I haven't seen it live yet," said Northern Bedford coach Garry Black. "I do think it could change some substitutions for teams with a lack of depth. If there's an incompletion 40-45 yards downfield and players end up on the ground, it could be tough to get them back to the huddle to be involved in the next play. I guess we will see how it plays out."
   And with most teams going to a 10-game and one scrimmage setup a few years ago, they've perhaps had less time to prepare for the play clock change in a live setting.
   "I always like our scrimmage to be game-like," said Chestnut Ridge coach Max Shoemaker. "We're always making our guys aware of things like getting plays in and out of the huddle. I'm not expecting it to have a drastic effect on the game, but it is something that you need to keep in mind."
   One thing the 40-second clock could allow for is more continuity from game to game involving officials.
   "I think it will create consistency," said Black. "Some officials work faster than others, and this will make it the same each and every week. One time at an away game, the pace was faster than anything I've been around and it was very different to be operating that quickly."
   Most of the other rule changes are minor and involve tackling, blocking and formations. The NFHS is also allowing states to implement instant replay for postseason games. The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) did not approve replay for this fall.