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
Watch 20+ Spring Events on MHSAA TV
May 2, 2017
By John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director
Streaming of spring sports hits a season high this week on MHSAA.tv, with more than 20 events scheduled to be produced by members of the School Broadcast Program.
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.
Here’s this week’s MHSAA.tv schedule of live video streams being produced by SBP members (All times Eastern):
Tuesday, May 2
- JV Softball – Oscoda at Rogers City, 4 p.m.
- JV Softball – Oscoda at Rogers City, 5:30 p.m.
- Girls Lacrosse – DeWitt at East Lansing, 6:30 p.m. (On Demand)
- Girls Soccer – Montrose at Corunna, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, May 3
- Girls Lacrosse – West Bloomfield at Lake Orion, 7 p.m.
Thursday, May 4
- Baseball – Posen at Rogers City, 4 p.m.
- Softball – Posen at Rogers City, 4 p.m.
- Softball – Painesdale-Jeffers at Calumet, 4 p.m.
- JV Baseball – Lincoln Alcona at Rogers City, 4 p.m.
- Girls Soccer – Laingsburg at Montrose, 4:30 p.m.
- Softball – Posen at Rogers City, 5:30 p.m.
- JV Baseball – Lincoln Alcona at Rogers City, 5:30 p.m.
- Baseball – Posen at Rogers City, 5:30 p.m.
- Softball – Painesdale-Jeffers at Calumet, 6 p.m.
Friday, May 5
- Baseball – Painesdale-Jeffers at Calumet, 4 p.m.
- Baseball – Painesdale-Jeffers at Calumet, 6 p.m.
Monday, May 8
- Baseball – Corunna at Montrose, 4 p.m.
Tuesday, May 9
- Baseball - Wakefield-Marenisco at Calumet, 4 p.m.
- Softball – Oxford at Lake Orion, 4:30 p.m.
- Baseball - Wakefield-Marenisco at Calumet, 6 p.m.
- Girls Soccer – Grand Ledge at East Lansing, 7 p.m. (On Demand)
Be sure to check the Upcoming Events page at MHSAA.tv for schedule additions every day.
The NFHS Network has announced new pricing for 2016-17, eliminating the Day Pass and lowering the cost of a Month Pass to $9.95. Subscribers will have access to all live video and streaming statistics across the country. All content becomes available for free, on-demand viewing 72 hours after being shown live. A portion of every subscription sold by a school goes to benefit its program.
A complete list of participating schools can be found on the School Broadcast Program page of the MHSAA website.
A weekly staple on the MHSAA.tv website and the MHSAASports Channel on YouTube is back for the spring season with highlights of selected games last week produced by members of the Association’s School Broadcast Program.
This week’s highlights package consists of clips of a baseball game between Millington at Montrose, a softball game pitting Troy Athens at Lake Orion and a boys lacrosse game featuring Holt at East Lansing.
Schools interested in becoming a part of the School Broadcast Program should contact John Johnson at the MHSAA Office.