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Be the Referee: Most Important Line

October 31, 2019

This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis explains what the goal line means for offenses, defenses and special teams in high school football. 

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 - Most Important Line - Listen

There’s an old saying in football officiating that the most important line on the field is the goal line.

This is certainly true when it comes to touchdowns, as the high school rule is just like that at the college and pro level, where all the ball has to do is break the plane for the score.

One unique part of the goal line under high school rules deals with kicks. Whenever a kickoff or a punt breaks the plane of the goal line, it becomes a dead ball with an automatic touchback. Now, whenever the defense gets possession of the ball in the end zone, it can return a fumble or interception out of the end zone for advancement, except if it’s on an extra point or any time in overtime.  

Past editions

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

Soccer, Lacrosse Added to TV Schedule

June 6, 2017

By John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director

Five MHSAA tournament games have been added to the live schedule on MHSAA.tv this week, being produced by members participating in the School Broadcast Program.

The Division 2 Lower Peninsula Girls Soccer Regional at Cedar Springs will have all of its games streamed by the SBP at that school. Here's the schedule:

Tonight (June 6)

Thursday (June 8)

Cedar Springs also will stream the Division 3 Girls Soccer Semifinal between the winners of the Clare and Grand Rapids South Christian Regionals at 6 p.m. June 13.

Wednesday's (June 7) Semifinal games at East Lansing High School in the Girls Lacrosse Tournament also will be streamed. Here's the schedule:

"One of the things we ask of our SBP member schools is that they stream any tournament contest which takes place on their campus, even if they are not participating," said John Johnson, MHSAA Communications Director.  "We appreciate the work of schools like Cedar Springs and East Lansing to provide this content for MHSAA.tv."

A $9.95 subscription allows viewing of live content on MHSAA.tv and the NFHS Network for 30 days. On Saturday (June 10), the Finals of the Boys & Girls Lacrosse Tournaments will be shown live. Next weekend, MHSAA Finals in Lower Peninsula Girls Soccer (June 16-17) and Semifinals and Finals in Baseball and Softball (June 15-17) will be streamed live. All events will be archived for free on-demand viewing, beginning three days after their completion. Subscriptions must be cancelled before the 30-day period is over to avoid recurring charges.

In its eighth year, the School Broadcast Program gives members an opportunity to showcase excellence in their schools by creating video programming of athletic and non-athletic events with students gaining skills in announcing, camera operation, directing/producing and graphics. 

The program also gives schools the opportunity to raise money through advertising and viewing subscriptions.  

All sporting events – live or delayed – are available on a subscription basis only for their first 72 hours online.  They become available for free, on-demand viewing approximately 72 hours following their completion.

Schools interested in becoming a part of the School Broadcast Program should contact John Johnson at the MHSAA Office.