For many high school football fans, this week’s UIL State Football Championships will be the first six-man football experiences — or at least first since last December.
Beyond just the obvious difference in teams having six players on the field instead of 11, there are numerous rule differences between six-man football and 11-man football.
Here is a short guide to how the two games are different ahead of this week’s Texas high school football state championship games:
Rule differences
• Each side has six players on the field at any time, rather than 11, and quarters cover 10 minutes rather than 12.
• The field is 80-yards long, instead of 100, and 40-yards wide. Due to shorter dimensions, teams go for it on fourth down more often than punt and also attempt onside kicks following most touchdowns.
• Teams are required to get 15 yards to pick up a first down rather than 10 yards
• The first player to receive the snap can not run beyond the line of scrimmage, so many teams will employ an up-back who takes the initial snap, and then pitches the ball to the “quarterback” who then can pass the ball forward or run.
• Following a touchdown, kicks through the goalposts are worth two points and conversions are worth one in the six-man game.
• A made field goal is worth four points in the six-man game and is a rarity.
• Lastly, six-man football has a mercy rule. If at any time at halftime or beyond one team builds a lead of at least 45 points, the game is called.
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: UIL State Football: How is six-man different from 11-man football?
