Dave Campbell's Texas Football surveyed over 360 Texas high school football coaches about various topics, including which UIL football rule they'd like to change.
| What UIL football rule would you like to change? |
| Blindside Blocks |
| blocking below the waist (it should be allowed) |
| Helmet audio |
| NA |
| Sideline Warnings |
| Targeting ejections |
| players eligible during school holiday is a bogus rule. no pass, no play! |
| targeting |
| Onside kick that bounces high |
| Targeting = ejection |
| NA |
| Cut Blocking removed |
| Cut |
| none |
| Targeting |
| automatic ejection for targeting |
| BLOCKING BELOW THE WAIST |
| I don’t know |
| NA |
| Pop-up onside fair catch |
| None |
| You must play at the high school where you live. transfers within a county or within a UIL district you will sit 2 varsity seasons. |
| Officials having judgement on what’s targeting and what’s not. |
| none |
| Targeting!!! THERE IS NO REPLY TAKE IT OUT!!! |
| Unsportsmanlike Celebration rules |
| None |
| Play Clock after TD's |
| no pass no play |
| The Cut rule |
| blindside |
| Dead periods should go away forever. |
| restore the old cut block rules |
| I would like to see the PAPF process be revamped to make it harder for athletes to transfer. |
| Add some real punishment to the programs that actively recruit players |
| Chop block |
| Horsecollar tackle |
| Bring back the kick return wedge... HA! |
| Eliminate all blocking below the waist at any time. |
| Targeting--ejection only if it is 2nd personal foul |
| Would like them to call offensive lineman downfield on a pass |
| Video usage during a game |
| None that come to the top of my head. |
| 5A Division I & II situation - need to not allow schools to "opt up." It's skewing the purpose of having 2 classifications in the first place. If they're not going to make people play where they belong for the sake of convenience, then why have the 2 classifications at all? Just go back to how 6A does it...take the 4 playoff teams and divide into D-1 and D-2 at that time. |
| The cut block rule I dont like the 5 yard rule You should be able to cut down field |
| Targeting with expulsion. Officials do not call it at the high school level because they don't want to disqualify a kid. If it were just 15 yards it would be called and kids would be better protected. |
| Replay on video equipment |
| hitting defenseless player |
| Atavus Tackling Certification |
| Targeting |
| None |
| Allow side line Hudl. |
| Transfer rules |
| Cut rules |
| n/a |
| N/A |
| Not coaching our kids in 7on7 |
| Blocking "defensless" player |
| The summer S&C rules |
| Targeting penalty |
| N/A |
| Freedom for lineman to cut like old school football |
| None |
| Transportation of athletes |
| Blindside blocks |
| Bring back cutting downfield |
| Targeting |
| Let WR cut again! |
| More strict on papf's |
| None |
| n/a |
| n/a |
| targeting |
| cut blocks. Take it out the game!!! |
| none |
| Targeting |
| n/a |
| Being able to have an opponent during spring football |
| 8 hour rule |
| I would like to be able to cut more. |
| Blindside Blocking |
| The new overtime rule |
| Targeting |
| holding should be 5 yards |
| Get rid of the UIL Portal |
| Ineligible down field needs to be more than 5yd penalty |
| Blocking below the waist downfield |
| Enforce lineman downfield on RPO game. |
| The new about coaches staying in the box |
| No rule but do away with the UIL Portal. That things is horrible. |
| 40 Second Clock |
| The Star Frisco |
| 1st Round Home site |
| The UIL Portal |
| Targeting |
| Blocking below the waist |
| Use of technology in games |
| None |
| Allow players to play six quarters per week. |
| N/A |
| No cut blocking |
| Cutting down field |
| None |
| Transfer (PAPF) |
| na |
| Numbers required on shirts pregame. |
| None |
| N/A |
| a penalty when a kid celebrates TD, not crazy, but if you raise your hand its a penaly, stupid |
| Allowing drones to film the game |
| The 45 degree chop rule. |
| Cutting on the permiter |
| Downfield Cut blocking |
| I don’t know |
| Coaching kids during the summer |
| Allowing video replay on sideline |
| Eliminate the Targeting ejection. These are HS kids, they will make mistakes |
| Pass interference |
| The one that does not allow video to be used as a coaching tool during the game (like Federation rules allow) |
| Can't think of one |
| Targeting |
| I don’t know |
| Not having divisions in higher classifications |
| PLaying JV/9th games on Thursday night. |
| Targeting |
| Nothing stands out at this time |
| Eliminate all blocks below the waist |
| None |
| Cut blocking |
| I would like to change the targeting when a running back lowers his head to run over a defensive player who is attacking near hip near shoulder with running backs hip. I understand targeting, but when does it go into effect on an offensive player leading with his helmet? |
| No more cut blocks period |
| none |
| New Scrimmage Attire Rule - We wore shorts/knee pads due to the heat |
| Targeting call carrying an automatic ejection |
| no sideline replay |
| I would not do skills in the summer and would allow it outside of the school day for 1 hour |
| None |
| Change targeting back to "spearing" |
| The targeting rule |
| Girls play girl sports & boys play boy sports |
| Defenseless Receiver call |
| Allow cutting down field and outside the Tackle box again. There was not near as many injuries and less helmet to helmet collisions |
| Holding calls on 3rd down Offense only still call it on the defense |
| Cut rule. |
| targeting |
| Targeting because there is no replay to confirm |
| cuts opened back up a little bit |
| Live Broadcasting |
| Turn back blocks |
| enforce papf |
| Acclimation period for spring training. They are already in shape. |
| PAPF rule |
| Targeting |
| Blocking below the waist. |
| N/A |
| The 40 second clock |
| like to go back to cut blocks any where on the field. Little man is now at a disadvantage. |
| Coaching kids in 7on7 |
| Lineman allowed to block downfield on RPOs |
| Linemen cutting down field on screens. |
| Umpires behind LOS , not dodging and calling penalties they can’t really see |
| Targeting without video proof |
| NONE |
| The one I would have like to see changed did get changed and that was the 2 pt conversion after third overtime. |
| Any rule that I get flagged for. |
| Targeting |
| Move 7 on 7 to the spring and outlaw summer 7 on 7. We all coach our players in some version of spring football regardless of classification. Any player playing for a "select" league should lose 1 year of eligibility. This would get the street agents out of our business. |
| If they are enrolled in your school, they can play. |
| High School coaches not being to coach 7 on 7 |
| Letting schools outsource strength and conditioning…Make those rich schools work like the rest of us… |
| The ability to cut block down field on screen plays |
| The length of each quater |
| N/A |
| Coaches coaching 7 on 7 |
| Targeting call carrying an automatic ejection |
| Papf |
| Most of the cut block rules |
| Cut blocks |
| Coaches being able to leave the customary sideline box like they did during COVID last year. |
| None in particular |
| Not allowing helmets while going through school and summer sport specific training. I feel like it would improve the safety for the athletes as well as help with the acclimatization. |
| Coaches are able to coach during 7 on 7 |
| NA |
| The one where can't block back anymore |
| Down blocks |
| Must live with a Guardian/Parent to be eligible for Varsity Athletics. |
| Special teams |
| Targeting |
| none |
| N/a |
| Lineman downfield |
| NA |
| We have too much access to kids, need to cut back on time allowed with them |
| kicking kids out of the game for the first targeting penalty |
| Allow the kids to play when it come to tackling |
| Overtime |
| Summer sport specific practice time (eliminate it and give kids and coaches a summer break) |
| Ejection from a game from targeting / PAPF rules, limit PAPF's to 10 per season per sport |
| On PAPF's - If a kid never played a UIL sport at their old school (even if they were in Athletics), we should not have to fill out a PAPF. Just my opinion. Need to cut down on paper work in the UIL Portal. |
| Targeting |
| No automatic ejection for targeting. 15 yard PF for the 1st, ejection for the 2nd. |
| Don't have one |
| Recruiting and transfers are out of control. They need to get more serious about it. They approve way to many that are red flagged. |
| n/a |
| Transfer student rule |
| None |
| None |
| Transfer rules, one way or the other. If UIL is going to continue turn a blind eye and knowingly allow all star teams from Houston, Dallas and Austin, then open up transfers and allow all schools to benefit. If not then put an end to all transfers within a certain mile radius and investigate all transfers. |
| None |
| Summer workouts and 7 on 7. Get back to less contact time with our kids! It's draining them and coaches. And most don't get paid for all the time |
| Targeting |
| targeting |
| To go back to having 2 a day practices again on consecutive days |
| over the top ejections... |
| I'm good with the rules, just want more consistency in which they are governed/followed - both on and off field. |
| Allow use of video technology during games. |
| Uniform dress code (specifically knee pads) Officials are not consistent with it. |
| None |
| None |
| Block below the waist |
| I would like to see coaches be able to go down to 10 yard line on sideline like it was this past year for COVID. |
| RPO's, blocking down field |
| NA |
| Target ejection because no replay to confirm |
| I don’t like live streaming our games. |
| N/A |
| Jersey rule |
| All Good |
| N/A |
| Bring back down the field cut blocking. |
| scrimmage another team during spring training |
| Cut blocking |
| none |
| no pass-no play |
| Transfer rule - PAPF |
| None |
| Transfer rules |
| None |
| Coaches being able to coach 7 on 7. |
| Cut block |
| targeting - |
| Jerseys- enforce it or get rid of it |
| Downfield cut |
| Cutt blocking by wing backs & cut blocking down field |
| Games have gotten too long |
| Broadcasting |
| Transfer rules |
| No televised games! |
| ? |
| blocking below the waist |
| No Complaints |
| No Cut pass 5 yards |
| None |
| Targeting disqualification after one foul |
| Blind side |
| N/A |
| Let us cut block |
| N/A |
| I would like to have a mini camp for a week instead of doing skills everyday. |
| Instant replay. |
| N/A |
| Knee pads (leave em' alone) - Offenses hiding / disguising which WR's are on / off the line. Usually associated with tempo offense. |
| the lack of consistency of TASO |
| Cut block down field. |
| Put back cut blocking--It is taking the little guy out of the game |
| Cut Blocking |
| Ejection rule, where kids have to sit out the next game. |
| Targeting |
| Coaches/players box extended to 20 yard line |
| N/A |
| Cutting anywhere on field back to old way |
| Coaches need t be able to coach their teams in 7 on 7. |
| nA |
| Cut rule |
| Cutting |
| Letting high school coaches coach their 7 on 7 teams |
| Ejection rules |
| Targeting |
| Would just like more uniform enforcement. |
| Ejections for Targeting |
| I don't feel like it should be a mandatory ejection for targeting or leading with the head for the first offense. I think it should be a penalty and a warning. |
| No cutting outside the Tackle Box |
| I would like realignment that doesn't make it where all the wealthy schools are the most successful. |
| Holding----Either call it when they see it or don't call it at all. Too much inconsistency. |
| Targeting and defenseless player |
| n/a |
| No change, just enforce offensive pass interference |
| not everything on computers |
| No cut blocks past 5 yards from the LOS - when they made the rule change for "safety", they handicapped the undersized offensive lineman. Cutting a defender downfield is no different than that same defender making an open field tackle at the knees on an offensive player. |
| the new cut rule |
| Blindside blocking near the ball |
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