Be the Referee: 40-Second Play Clock
August 30, 2018
In this week's edition, assistant director Brent Rice explains how Michigan is continuing to experiment with a 40-second play clock in 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 – 40-Second Play Clock - Listen
There’s an experiment taking place on a number of high school football fields across the state again this year. Michigan is experimenting with a 40-second play clock in football.
This is designed to provide more consistency from play to play as the ball must be snapped 40 seconds after the end of the previous play and is not dependent on the referee’s subjective signal.
When play is continuing without a stoppage, the 40-second play clock will be used. If play has been stopped for a time out or penalty, the play clock will be set at 25 seconds.
After two seasons, the feedback received from coaches and officials has been very positive, and there’s a possibility the Michigan experiment may become a new national playing rule soon.
Past editions
August 23: Football Rules Changes - Listen
Be the Referee: Officials Registration
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
June 17, 2025
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 – Officials Registration - Listen
We talk a lot about the need for registered officials. But how do you sign up? What does it take to become a MHSAA-registered referee, umpire, or judge?
Go to MHSAA.com. Click on the Officials Tab, and identify the sport or sports you are interested in. Next, complete the MHSAA Principals of Officiating and the “Officials Guidebook” Exams.
This first step of the process covers playing rules, ejection protocols, game assignments, and payment of game fees.
Once you pass the exams, it’s time to connect with a locally approved officials association. The local associations are the ones that provide the training – whether it’s on the court, on the field, on the mats, or video training – to get that person completely immersed in the rules, mechanics, and coverages of what it takes to become a good official.
Previous 2024-25 Editions
June 10: Baseball Pitch Count - Listen
June 3: Soccer Overtime - Listen
May 28: Track & Field False Starts & Restarts - Listen
May 21: Fixed Obstruction in Tennis - Listen
May 13: Golf Cart Path Roll - Listen
May 6: Illegal Softball Bats - Listen
April 30: Golf Relief - Listen
April 22: Soccer Scoring Area Penalty - Listen
April 15: Fair or Foul? - Listen
April 8: Girls Lacrosse New Stoppage Rule - Listen
April 1: Base Runner Interference - Listen
March 25: Pine Tar Usage - Listen
March 11: Basketball Replay - Listen
March 4: Gymnastics Deduction - Listen
Feb. 25: Competitive Cheer Inversion - Listen
Feb. 18: Ice Hockey Delay of Game - Listen
Feb. 11: Ski Helmets - Listen
Feb. 4: Wrestling In Bounds or Out? - Listen
Jan. 21: Block or Charge? - Listen
Jan. 14: Out of Bounds, In Play - Listen
Jan. 7: Wrestling Scoring - Listen
Dec. 17: Bowling Ball Rules - Listen
Dec. 10: Neck Laceration Protector - Listen
Dec. 3: Basketball Goaltending - Listen
Nov. 26: 11-Player Finals Replay - Listen
Nov. 19: 8-Player vs. 11-Player Football - Listen
Nov. 12: Back Row Setter - Listen
Nov. 5: Football OT - Listen
Oct. 29: Officials Registration - Listen
Oct. 22: Volleyball Serve - Listen
Oct. 15: "You Make the Call" - Soccer Offside - Listen
Oct. 8: Roughing the Passer - Listen
Oct. 1: Abnormal Course Condition - Listen
Sept. 25: Tennis Nets - Listen
Sept. 18: Libero - Listen
Sept. 10: Cross Country Uniforms - Listen
Sept. 3: Soccer Handling - Listen
Aug. 24: Football Holding - Listen