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Be the Referee: Clocking From Shotgun

September 24, 2020

This week, MHSAA Assistant Director Brent Rice explains a change in football that gives teams another way to stop the clock while on offense. 

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 - Clocking the Ball from the Shotgun - Listen

One of the other visible rules changes taking place this year in football pertains to the quarterback spiking the ball into the ground after receiving the snap from center in an attempt to stop the clock.

Previously, clocking the ball in an effort to preserve time could only be done from a traditional hand-to-hand snap from the center to the quarterback – which actually worked to the disadvantage of teams which run shotgun formations all the time.

The rules change allows the quarterback from a shotgun formation to immediately spike the ball into the ground after receiving it to stop the clock with an incomplete pass, bringing the high school rule in line with the college and professional rules. 

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