Be the Referee: Dead Ball Penalty
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Director of Brand Management
September 15, 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 – Dead Ball Penalty - Listen
We’ve got 4th-and-10 on the football field today. Team A has the ball on their own 40 and is going for it.
The quarterback scrambles and is pushed out of bounds at the 49-yard line, one yard short of a first down.
A defensive player from Team B hits the quarterback after he’s been pushed out of bounds and is flagged for a dead-ball personal foul. Where should the ball be marked and who has possession?
Is it 1st-and-10 for Team A at Team B’s 36-yard line? Or does the defense get the ball, 1st-and-10 for Team B at their own 36?
If you said Team B’s ball, you are correct. The personal foul was a dead-ball penalty that is enforced after the change of possession.
Previous 2026-27 editions
Sept. 8: Libero Ejected - Listen
Sept. 1: Soccer Foul After Shot on Goal - Listen
Aug. 25: Fumble Out of Bounds - Listen
Be the Referee: Blocked Kick
By
Sam Davis
MHSAA Director of Officials
October 10, 2023
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 – Blocked Kick - Listen
It’s 4th-and-10. Team A is lining up on its 25-yard line to kick a field goal. The kick is blocked backward by Team B, never crossing the line of scrimmage. The kicker is able to scoop the ball up and take off, getting down to the 7-yard line before being tackled.
The next down should be:
- First-and-goal from the 7 for Team A – the kicking team.
- First-and-10 from the 7 for Team B – the defensive team.
- First-and-10 from the 25-yard line for Team B.
If you said 1st-and-Goal for Team A, you are correct. Because the kicked ball never crossed the line of scrimmage, the kicking team is able to pick the ball up and advance it. Because it was carried past the line to gain, it’s a first down.
Previous Editions
Oct. 3: Volleyball Double & Lift - Listen
Sept. 26: Registration Process - Listen
Sept. 20: Animal Interference - Listen
Sept. 13: Feet Rule on Soccer Throw-In - Listen
Sept. 6: Volleyball Jewelry - Listen
Aug. 30: Football Rules Similarities - Listen
Aug. 23: Football Rules Differences - Listen