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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

SBP Schools Receive Equipment Grants

November 11, 2015

By John Johnson
MHSAA communications director

A trio of MHSAA members involved in its School Broadcast Program has been named recipients of grants from the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association to purchase equipment for their broadcasting programs.

Lake Orion ($1,921), Negaunee ($1,471) and Rogers City ($1,471) high schools were three of six schools to receive grants from the DSBA, with those grants to be used to purchase audio and video equipment. Check presentations to each school will take place at a future date.

In its seventh 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.  

Six Regional Final games in the MHSAA Football Playoffs – presented by the Michigan Army National Guard – will have live streaming video this weekend on FoxSportsDetroit.com and MHSAA.tv.

It’s the third weekend of Playoffs on the PrepZone on FoxSportsDetroit.com, where the following games will be featured on Friday (Nov. 13) at 7 p.m.

  • Remus Chippewa Hills at Ada Forest Hills Northern
  • Rockford at Grand Ledge
  • Jackson Lumen Christi at Clinton
  • Detroit Cass Tech at Macomb Dakota

Saturday (Nov. 14) Playoff games live on MHSAA.tv are covered by members participating in the School Broadcast Program.  This week’s games are:

  • East Grand Rapids at Mt. Pleasant – 1 p.m.
  • Constantine v. Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian at Comstock Park High School – 1 p.m.

Fans can watch PrepZone games on their computer or handheld devices by following these instructions:

On Your Desktop/Laptop Computer

  • Go to FOXSportsGo.com
  • Click on the “All Chs” menu at the bottom left of the page
  • Select “FOX Sports Go Extras”

On Your Handheld Device

  • Download the free FOX Sports Go app from your store
  • Click on the “All Channels” menu at the top of the app
  • Select “FOX Sports Go Extras”

All PrepZone games will be archived on MHSAA.tv.

A Day Pass to watch live on MHSAA.TV is $9.95.  A Month Pass is $14.95, and would also allow access to the full schedule of MHSAA Tournaments during the month of November:

  • Nov. 19-20 – Girls Volleyball Semifinals & Finals
  • Nov. 21 – Lower Peninsula Girls Swimming & Diving Finals
  • Nov. 21 – Football Playoff Semifinals (12 games)

All sporting events – Live or On-Demand – 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.

Launching at Midnight every Friday throughout the season is MHSAA Football Friday Overtime on FOX Sports Detroit.  Mickey York and Rob Rubick host the weekly 30-minute highlights show.  The show will re-air most Saturday and Sunday mornings – and will be archived on the FOX Detroit Website. This week, FFOT will re-air at 8:30 and 11 a.m. Saturday. 

The following games are scheduled to be highlighted this week on Football Friday Overtime:

  • Algonac at River Rouge
  • Chelsea at Allen Park
  • Buchanan at Ida
  • Canton at Saline
  • PLUS – Highlights from this week’s PrepZone games.