#TBT: Mill Thrills Again at Silverdome

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

November 26, 2014

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Pontiac Silverdome 25 years ago served as the stage for one of the most exciting moments in MHSAA Football Finals history, appropriately performed by an athlete known as "Mill the Thrill."

Mill Coleman, who later would star as a receiver at Michigan State University, scored on a 9-yard quarterback scramble with 1:34 to play to push Harrison even with DeWitt, 27-27. Steve Hill's extra point put the Hawks ahead to stay as they repeated as MHSAA champions. 

Below is a "Finals Flashback" to that go-ahead scoring run, part of a collection of flashbacks that formerly ran during breaks at MHSAA football championship games. Click for the full box score from that game and playoff results from the entire 1989 Class B bracket. 

The championship was the second of Harrison's now MHSAA-best 13. Coleman currently serves as an assistant coach for the Hawks. 

PHOTO: Farmington Hills Harrison quarterback Mill Coleman looks for an opening as DeWitt's Travis Gribble works to get away from a blocker while in pursuit. (Photo courtesy of Gary Shook.)

Be the Referee: Disconcerting Acts

October 8, 2020

This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis explains a change in football meant to reduce a form of gamesmanship at the line of scrimmage.

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 - Disconcerting Acts - Listen

Among the rules changes in high school football for the 2020-21 school year is an adjustment in the penalty assessed to the defense for disconcerting acts and sounds.

Among the gamesmanship that sometimes takes place near the line of scrimmage at the start of the play, defensive players have been known to make sounds or act in a manner which otherwise might distract an offensive player waiting for the snap signal. Previously, the most egregious of these actions would be penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct.

But beginning this year, the disconcerting act foul is a five-yard penalty. The change in the rule actually makes it more likely that this kind of behavior will be flagged, and may eventually lead to a reduction is this type of activity.

Past editions

10/1: Ball Hits Soccer Referee - Listen
9/24: Clocking the Ball from the Shotgun - Listen