The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced Friday that it has expanded offseason 7-on-7 competition for football players and teams.
While offseason practice and conditioning sessions long have been allowed in football, the sport had different offseason competition regulations from other sports. This is why basketball players, for example, are allowed to play in AAU and baseball and softball players can participate in summer and fall leagues.
The OHSAA’s change is retroactive to Aug. 1, 2023.
Because this was a change to the organization’s general sports regulations, it was decided by the OHSAA board of directors and not subject to a member vote.
It essentially serves as practice for so-called “skill-position players,” including quarterbacks and wide receivers, and their defensive counterparts at linebacker, safety and cornerback. The emphasis is on passing and pass defense. Linemen do not participate, and there is no tackling.
Flags are removed or opponents are touched to symbolize tackles and stop play.
Many players participate in other sports, such as basketball, wrestling, baseball, lacrosse and track and field, but in terms of football-specific work within their program, players had been limited to offseason conditioning drills and 13 contact days between May 15 and July 31.
Teams could use those days at any time in that window, in which contact and equipment other than helmets and cleats are prohibited. Some saved those days for the end of July to get a jump on preseason practice, which typically begins Aug. 1.
Many players also attend collegiate camps individually or with their team.
According to the new OHSAA rules, a limit of seven players from the same team may participate in 7-on-7 before May 15, and there is no limit to the number of events. The limit of teammates on one team is lifted after May 15.
Participating in 7-on-7 is not permitted during football’s “28-day no-contact period immediately after the season,” the OHSAA said.
In February, Shaker Heights safety Trey McNutt was handed a one-game suspension for participating in an out-of-state 7-on-7, at the time against OHSAA rules. McNutt has openly applauded the OHSAA’s reversal in permitting 7-on-7.
A handful of area players, including Marion-Franklin’s Dawayne Galloway and Preston Bowman of Pickerington North, have announced in recent days that they will participate in national 7-on-7 events, as did Bellefontaine quarterback and Ohio State commit Tavien St. Clair.
The OHSAA announced Friday that no players who have been in previous 7-on-7 events will face penalties.
The Ohio High School Football Coaches Association has held a 7-on-7 tournament in the summer for several years. Participation is voluntary.
Pickerington North coach Nate Hillerich, a vice president of the OHSFCA, did not rule out a different format in the future. Hillerich suggested that it could emulate the Texas model, which features qualifying tournaments across the state culminating in a two-division tournament each summer at Texas A&M.
For showcases that take place before May 15, 7-on-7 segments are now permitted.
According to Tim Stried, director of media relations, the OHSAA has a universal response for this type of question.
“This is the same answer for all of our team sports,” he said. “Individual skill instruction and small group work is permitted, but not full team practice. For example, girls volleyball cannot have full practice in the spring. Many fall sports coaches also coach a spring sport, and our goal is that kids play multiple sports.”
According to Stried, this is up to each school, not the OHSAA. But in short, the answer is yes. It’s no different from a kicker also playing soccer in the fall.
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