Rule books and levels
Texas high school football: NCAA rules with UIL exceptions
Short answer
Texas high schools do not use the NFHS book. They play the NCAA rules with the UIL’s published exceptions, 59 of them in the 2026-27 list. For formations only one matters: the kickoff is from the kicking team’s 40, not the 35 (exception to NCAA 6-1-1). Every other alignment rule is the college rule.
| Alignment | NFHS (high school) | NCAA (college) | NFL | NCAA + Texas UIL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kickoff from the kicking team’s 40UIL exception to NCAA 6-1-1 · NFHS 6-1-1 | LEGAL | N/A | N/A | LEGAL |
| Tackle on the end of the line, uncoveredNCAA 7-1-4-a, 7-3-3-c | LEGAL | LEGAL | FLAG | LEGAL |
| Defender head-up on the snapper against a puntNCAA 6-3-14-a | LEGAL | FLAG | FLAG | FLAG |
The kickoff row reads "N/A" for NCAA and NFL because they kick from the 35: the question is where Texas kicks off.
What changes and what does not
The UIL list changes timing, equipment, communication, overtime, ejections and officiating details. For alignment at the snap, the kickoff line is the only change. The hash marks stay at 60 feet, because no exception moves them.
That means Texas coaches use the college formation rules: no more than four backs, at least five linemen numbered 50-79 with the 2026 kick exception, the over-the-snapper restriction on kicks, and no end-man requirement.
Where Texas differs from other high schools
A Texas punt-block cannot put a defender head-up on the snapper; in an NFHS state it can. Texas hash marks are 60 feet; NFHS hash marks are 53 feet 4 inches. Both kick off from the 40. See NFHS vs NCAA.
What The Playbook Caller checks
Pick "NCAA + Texas UIL" and the app applies the NCAA checks, spots kickoffs at the 40 and draws the hash marks at 60 feet. Every built-in formation gets exactly its NCAA verdict under that book.
The Playbook Caller checks alignment at the snap only. Motion, shifts, timing, contact and penalties are not judged.
3 things coaches get wrong
- Using an NFHS rules summary in Texas. Texas plays the NCAA book.
- Kicking off from the 35 because the NCAA book says so. The UIL exception moves it to the 40.
- Lining up over the snapper on punts because other states allow it. Under the NCAA rule Texas uses, it is a flag.
Questions coaches ask
Which UIL list is current?
The 2026-27 list, "2026 UIL Exceptions to NCAA Football Rules", posted by TASO. The kickoff exception is item 44 there (item 42 in the 2025 list).
Does this cover six-man football?
No. Six-man has its own UIL rules. The Playbook Caller is an 11-player board.
Are the 2026 NCAA changes in effect in Texas?
The UIL applies the NCAA book with its exceptions, and none of them touches the formation rule (7-1-4). Check the current UIL list for anything else.
Sources
We paraphrase and cite; we never reproduce rule-book text. These are the public sources the verdicts rest on.
- TASO: 2026 UIL Exceptions to NCAA Football Rules (2026-27)
- TASO: 2025 UIL Exceptions to NCAA Football Rules
- NCAA: 2026 Football Rules and Interpretations
Coaching aid, not an official ruling: the game officials' ruling governs. The Playbook Caller is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NFL, NCAA, NFHS or UIL, nor by Pop Warner, AYF or USA Football.
Check the formations you actually run
Drag a player and The Playbook Caller re-checks the formation under your rule book. If it breaks a rule, it tells you what is wrong and shows the rule behind it.