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

Highlight Reel: Division 1 Semifinals

November 25, 2014

The Clarkston football defeated East Kentwood 35-13 and Saline defeated Detroit Cass Tech 30-15 on Saturday in Division 1 football Semifinals. Click the headings below for highlights:

WOLVES STRIKE DOWN THE MIDDLE - Clarkston got two first-quarter TD passes from D.J. Zezula against East Kentwood. Here's the first, a 40-yard streak down the middle to Jacob Fisher. 

EK CONNECTS ON FOURTH DOWN - A key play in East Kentwood's first drive for points against Clarkston was a fourth-down pass from Kyle Friberg to Bret Patton.

SALINE'S SLATTERY SCORES ON A PICK SIX - Early in the final period, Saline's Stephen Slattery picked off a Detroit Cass Tech pass and returned it eight yards for a score. 

HALL FINALS VANCE - Detroit Cass Tech pulled close midway through the fourth quarter on this 8-yard pass from Rodney Hall to Demetric Vance.

Watch the entire Clarkston/East Kentwood game and order DVDs by Clicking Here and the Saline/Cass Tech game by Clicking Here.