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Be the Referee: Curbing Gamesmanship

September 12, 2019

This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis explains a new rule in soccer meant to keep teams in the lead from running time off the clock by making lineup changes.

Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.

Below is this week's segment - Curbing Gamesmanship By Substitution - Listen

There’s a change to high school soccer rules nationally this year designed to curb gamesmanship by a team leading a contest toward the end of a game.

In the last five minutes of regulation, or the last five minutes in the second part of overtime, a rules change this year will stop the clock when that team makes a substitution. The clock will stop even if the team that is trailing makes a substitution at the same time.

This is the same as the NCAA rules, and aims to prevent teams from making multiple substitutions in the closing moments of a game as a way to help protect their lead by running time off the clock.

Past editions

Sept. 5: Football Safety Rules Changes - Listen
Aug. 29: 40-Second Play Clock - Listen

A football referee signals he is assigning a penalty by pointing to that side of the field.

Be the Referee: Defensive Holding

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Director of Brand Management

October 6, 2026

Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.

Below is this week's segment – Defensive Holding - Listen

Team A has the ball on their own 20-yard line and its 4th-and-15. They decide to go for it. The quarterback drops back to pass and is sacked at his 15-yard line, a five-yard loss.

But during the play, Team B – the defense – is flagged for holding an eligible wide receiver.

How is the penalty administered?

  • Is it 4th-and-5 from Team A’s 30?
  • Is it 4th-and-10 from Team A’s 25?
  • Is it 1st-and-10 from Team A’s 30?
  • Or is it 1st-and-10 from Team A’s 25?

If you said it is 4th-and-5 from Team A’s 30 – you are correct.

Defensive holding is a 10-yard penalty from the previous spot – which was the 20-yard line. Team A now has possession at the 30, needing to get to the 35 for first down.

Previous 2026-27 editions

Sept. 29: Minimum Number of Volleyball Players - Listen
Sept 22: Soccer Changes - Listen
Sept: 15: Dead Ball Penalty - Listen
Sept. 8: Libero Ejected - Listen
Sept. 1: Soccer Foul After Shot on Goal - Listen
Aug. 25: Fumble Out of Bounds - Listen