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
Be the Referee: Overtime Differences
November 1, 2018
This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis explains how high school football overtime differs from extra play at the college level.
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 – Overtime Differences - Listen
There are a few differences in high school football overtime compared to college games.
During overtime in high school football, each team begins its offensive series 1st-and-Goal from the 10- yard line as opposed to 1st–and-10 at the 25. The only way a team can pick up a first down is on a roughing foul – roughing the passer, the holder, the center or the kicker.
A lost fumble or intercepted pass ends a team’s offensive series, (and on) a try for an extra point following a touchdown, the defense cannot return the ball for a score. And unlike college football, there is never a requirement that a team go for a 2-point conversion. What is common between the two levels is that each team gets one timeout per overtime, and unused timeouts don’t carry over from regulation or from overtimes.
Past editions
October 25: Trickery & Communication - Listen
October 18: Punts & Missed Field Goals - Listen
October 11: What Officials Don't Do - Listen
October 4: Always 1st-and-Goal - Listen
September 27: Unique Kickoff Option - Listen
September 20: Uncatchable Pass - Listen
September 13: Soccer Rules Change - Listen
September 6: You Make the Call: Face Guarding - Listen
August 30: 40-Second Play Clock - Listen
August 23: Football Rules Changes - Listen