Now that the calendar is headed toward the beginning of another high school athletic year, here are a few high school football rule changes that should take place.

They’re not going to, of course, but a man can dream, can’t he?

• Allow kickoffs into the end zone to be returned.

Any kickoff that breaks the plane of the goal-line is ruled a touchback, the ball placed at the 20-yard line.

Why?

If a team has a stellar, explosive return man who wants to pick the ball up in the end zone and go with it, let him. Or if a team is trailing late and needs field position, give that team the option of trying to return a deep kickoff.

Kick returns are among the more exciting plays in football. There’s no need to stifle them.

• Mark pass interference penalties at the spot of the foul. The same should be done in college ball.

If a kid gets beaten on a deep pass, all he has to do is bump into the receiver so he is unable to catch the ball. Even if this occurs 40 yards downfield, the penalty is only 15 yards.

The offense should at least be awarded yardage to the point the catch would have been made.

• Institute the automatic two-minute warning timeout. The high school game needs this because timeouts are often burned early in games because of confusion.

• Start possessions at the opponent’s 40-yard line in overtime.

An offense should have to work to score points in overtime. Putting the ball at the 10-yard line is a little bit silly.

College football overtimes begin at the 25-yard line, which is a little better, but a team should have to get at least one first down in OT before being able to attempt a field goal.

Starting at the 40 would make that happen.

Staying with the high school gridiron, here are a few tidbits of which the average fan may not be aware:

Most states across the country follow the rules governed by the National Federation of State High Schools Association. Texas and Massachusetts, however, follow NCAA rules for their high school football.

If a team is not lined up and ready to play football two minutes after the referee so orders, the official can award a forfeit win to the other team.

If a defense continually takes half-the-distance to the goal penalties to the point of making a travesty of the game, the officials can award points to the offense.

Washington High School in Sioux Falls, S.D., has won more state titles — 35 — than any high school football program in the country.

New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island do not crown one state champion per enrollment classification.

The longest running prep grid rivalry in Pennsylvania? William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia has played Germantown Academy in Fort Washington 122 times, dating back to 1887.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle