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Uniform numbers


Football50dad

Question

In HS, what are the number restrictions?  I know that 50-79 can not line up as QB, RB, WR, etc.  However, are there further restrictions?  Can an offensive lineman wear a "non-lineman" number?  What if you have a OL who is also used as a RB in short yardage? Two jerseys? 

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19 minutes ago, Football50dad said:

In HS, what are the number restrictions?  I know that 50-79 can not line up as QB, RB, WR, etc.  However, are there further restrictions?  Can an offensive lineman wear a "non-lineman" number?  What if you have a OL who is also used as a RB in short yardage? Two jerseys? 

Not true. Under the high school rules, any player can line up in any position wearing any number. However, numbers affect eligibility to catch a forward pass. Only offensive players numbered 1-49 or 80-99 can legally catch, bat or muff a forward pass. There are also numbering requirements on the offensive line. But they don’t affect any player’s ability to wear a particular number.

Also, can we move this topic to the Officiating sub-forum? I think that’s the better place for it.

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10 minutes ago, Bobref said:

Not true. Under the high school rules, any player can line up in any position wearing any number. However, numbers affect eligibility to catch a forward pass. Only offensive players numbered 1-49 or 80-99 can legally catch, bat or muff a forward pass. There are also numbering requirements on the offensive line. But they don’t affect any player’s ability to wear a particular number.

Also, can we move this topic to the Officiating sub-forum? I think that’s the better place for it.

Done

follow up question.....is a team required to have at least 5 players on the line with a lineman's number during a normal play (excluding punts and FG/PAT)? 

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2 hours ago, Irishman said:

Done

follow up question.....is a team required to have at least 5 players on the line with a lineman's number during a normal play (excluding punts and FG/PAT)? 

Yes, on plays that do not involve scrimmage kick formation.

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7 hours ago, Bobref said:

Not true. Under the high school rules, any player can line up in any position wearing any number. However, numbers affect eligibility to catch a forward pass. Only offensive players numbered 1-49 or 80-99 can legally catch, bat or muff a forward pass. There are also numbering requirements on the offensive line. But they don’t affect any player’s ability to wear a particular number.

Also, can we move this topic to the Officiating sub-forum? I think that’s the better place for it.

So, if a player is an OG, they must wear a lineman number (50-79), correct? But what if a team wants to use that same player as a FB (like Fridge)?  Would they be required to switch jerseys? Or just report eligible?  

Sorry if it seems like the same question. I am just a bit confused. 

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4 hours ago, Football50dad said:

So, if a player is an OG, they must wear a lineman number (50-79), correct? But what if a team wants to use that same player as a FB (like Fridge)?  Would they be required to switch jerseys? Or just report eligible?  

Sorry if it seems like the same question. I am just a bit confused. 

An offensive guard can wear any number. A fullback can wear any number. A player can play any number of positions wearing the same number. No one has to “report” anything. The number a player wears has nothing to do with the position he plays. It only affects his eligibility to catch, bat or muff a legal forward pass.

 

 

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Ok, so answer me this, a few years back we were at a MS game at South Central. We had a kid that could run like the wind but was dumb as a bag on hammers. We ran him out of  the backfield and he scored two TDs in a row, one a toss sweep and the second a direct snap out of the Wildcat, wearing jersey # 90. The ref came over and told the coaching staff the player was wearing an illegal jersey number. We were told the player had to swap jerseys because 90 was a kickers number. We kind of looked at each other and made the swap. I was always curious about that call...

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4 hours ago, Goose Liver said:

Ok, so answer me this, a few years back we were at a MS game at South Central. We had a kid that could run like the wind but was dumb as a bag on hammers. We ran him out of  the backfield and he scored two TDs in a row, one a toss sweep and the second a direct snap out of the Wildcat, wearing jersey # 90. The ref came over and told the coaching staff the player was wearing an illegal jersey number. We were told the player had to swap jerseys because 90 was a kickers number. We kind of looked at each other and made the swap. I was always curious about that call...

The official that told you this is wrong. 

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4 hours ago, Goose Liver said:

Ok, so answer me this, a few years back we were at a MS game at South Central. We had a kid that could run like the wind but was dumb as a bag on hammers. We ran him out of  the backfield and he scored two TDs in a row, one a toss sweep and the second a direct snap out of the Wildcat, wearing jersey # 90. The ref came over and told the coaching staff the player was wearing an illegal jersey number. We were told the player had to swap jerseys because 90 was a kickers number. We kind of looked at each other and made the swap. I was always curious about that call...

There is no such thing as a 'kicker' number, so the explanation was bogus or poorly communicated to the point you misunderstood it.

The question I always wonder is how far below varsity should the numbering rules be enforced?  I would hope all HS games would be by the book.  You mention it was a middle school game.  That always makes things tough, IMO, as the jerseys may be hand-me-downs, or many years between purchases.  And with various sizes of players and jerseys in that group, sometimes you get oddities.

Watching my son's peewee tackle games can drive my OCD tendencies nuts - watching number 14 play Center while 57 plays TE and goes out for passes.  I don't think it makes a big difference at the 3/4th grade level.  But if I saw the same number schemes in an 8th grade game, I would think it's fair game for an opposing coach to ask the referee about it.  

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17 minutes ago, oldtimeqb said:

There is no such thing as a 'kicker' number, so the explanation was bogus or poorly communicated to the point you misunderstood it.

The question I always wonder is how far below varsity should the numbering rules be enforced?  I would hope all HS games would be by the book.  You mention it was a middle school game.  That always makes things tough, IMO, as the jerseys may be hand-me-downs, or many years between purchases.  And with various sizes of players and jerseys in that group, sometimes you get oddities.

Watching my son's peewee tackle games can drive my OCD tendencies nuts - watching number 14 play Center while 57 plays TE and goes out for passes.  I don't think it makes a big difference at the 3/4th grade level.  But if I saw the same number schemes in an 8th grade game, I would think it's fair game for an opposing coach to ask the referee about it.  

Generally less concerned about numbering rules below HS if both coaches are aware. The same is usually true in frosh/JV as well. In a varsity game this is much more strictly enforced although I've had a couple games where we ignored it. One involved city schools and they didn't know which players would show until they got on the bus. Both teams had the same issue so they were fine with it. We had #75 throwing passes to #64. It was very strange. We also had a game that was in running clock mode where they wanted to send in #46 to play RG on the last couple drives. We did check with the other coach and he was fine. We could have possibly made him change jerseys, but there was no need to be strict under the circumstances.

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On 4/27/2021 at 6:20 AM, Goose Liver said:

Ok, so answer me this, a few years back we were at a MS game at South Central. We had a kid that could run like the wind but was dumb as a bag on hammers. We ran him out of  the backfield and he scored two TDs in a row, one a toss sweep and the second a direct snap out of the Wildcat, wearing jersey # 90. The ref came over and told the coaching staff the player was wearing an illegal jersey number. We were told the player had to swap jerseys because 90 was a kickers number. We kind of looked at each other and made the swap. I was always curious about that call...

Do the specific numbering rules actually apply to junior high ball? I've seen quite a few instances where there are not 5 lineman numbers on the line as well as lineman numbers out wide. 

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36 minutes ago, cloudofdust said:

Do the specific numbering rules actually apply to junior high ball? 

Nope.......there is no governing body for junior high athletics in Indiana. While schools do often hire IHSAA officials, and say they follow the IHSAA rules for the game; there is no requirement to do so. 

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On 9/1/2021 at 9:54 AM, cloudofdust said:

Do the specific numbering rules actually apply to junior high ball? I've seen quite a few instances where there are not 5 lineman numbers on the line as well as lineman numbers out wide. 

MS ball has in the past and still yet possibly at some schools struggle with jersey/size/number issues. It’s way worse in youth leagues. Officials have been historically, at least in this area, inclined to allow jacked up numbers. This typically only applies to 1, possibly 2 players. In the past this has gone on in Frosh and JV as well. I literally have worked JV games with 13-14 players and a couple of them have limited quarters. All that being said, with HS, my philosophy has changed a little bit over the years, if I have to get decked out in full uniform, the players have to as well. 

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