Be the Referee: Football Review

November 21, 2019

This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis explains how video will be used for the first time at this season's MHSAA Football Finals. 

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 - Football Video Review - Listen

For the first time this year, video review of potential scoring plays and potential turnovers will take place at the MHSAA Football Finals at Ford Field for the 11-player games.

Under this system, any play which may or may not result in points being scored or any play which may or may not have resulted in a turnover can be reviewed. Personnel in the press box will look at all such plays and contact the referee on the field if a review takes place – and they give the final determination to the crew on the field.


Review may not be initiated by the officiating crew nor by the head coach of either team. Football joins basketball and ice hockey as sports where limited video review may now take place. 


Past editions

Nov. 14: Sideline Safety - Listen
Nov. 7: Officials Playlist - Listen
Oct. 31: Most Important Line - Listen
Oct. 24: Automatic 1st Downs - Listen
Oct. 17: Catch Momentum - Listen
Oct. 10: Golf Rules Changes - Listen
Oct. 3: No Tackle Box - Listen
Sept. 26: You Make the Overtime Call - Listen
Sept. 19: Swimming Finishing Touch - Listen
Sept. 12: Curbing Gamesmanship By Substitution - Listen
Sept. 5: Football Safety Rules Changes - Listen
Aug. 29: 40-Second Play Clock - Listen

Be the Referee: Dog Days of February

February 15, 2018

In this week's edition, assistant director Mark Uyl talks about some of the challenges that arise during a pivotal point every basketball season. 

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 – Dog Days of February - Listen

Every summer, we hear broadcasters talk about the “Dog Days” of the major league baseball season during the month of August and into September, when everybody hits the proverbial wall.

During the month of February, we have also arrived at the Dog Days of the high school basketball season. All of the work that’s gone in in the previous three months is beginning to add up, for both coaches and officials alike. For coaches, it’s managing the pressures and expectations within each of their teams; and for officials, all of those miles up and down the floor are beginning to add up.

It’s this time of year where both groups need to refocus and re-energize themselves to give students the best possible experience during the month of March.

Past editions
February 8: National Playing Rules Process - Listen
February 1: Calling Intentional Fouls - Listen
January 25: Points at the Edge of the Mat - Listen
January 18: Behavior Warning - Listen
January 11: Ice Hockey Safe & Sound - Listen
January 4: Why No Shot Clock - Listen
December 21: Coaches Responsible for Equipment - Listen
December 14: Mentoring New Officials - Listen
December 7: Dive on the Floor - Listen
November 30: Wrestling Weight Monitoring - Listen
November 23: Ejections - Listen
November 16: Toughest Call - Listen
November 9: Hurdling - Listen
November 2: The Survey Says - Listen
October 26: Helmet Comes Off -
 Listen
October 19: Goal Line Rules - Listen
October 12: No 1st-Year Fee - Listen
October 5: Athletic Empty Nesters - Listen
September 28: Misunderstood Football Rules: Kicking - Listen
September 21: Preparation for Officials - Listen
September 14: Always Stay Registered - Listen
September 7: Other Football Rules Changes - Listen
August 31: Pop-Up Onside Kicks - Listen
August 24: Blindside Blocks - Listen