Be the Referee: Always Stay Registered
September 14, 2017
This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl relays a quick story of how a retired NFL official stepped in to give a pair of junior varsity teams a chance to play another game this season.
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 – Always Stay Registered - Listen
As Thursday night of Labor Day weekend arrived, with a full slate of football games having long been scheduled, a late junior varsity game was added at the last minute.
The problem was that most officiating crews had already been assigned to other games months in advance.
That’s when one of Michigan’s most decorated officials, retired NFL and three-time Super Bowl official Dean Look, stepped up to help out. Dean, along with four other area officials, put together a crew for that night, so these two junior varsity teams could play.
Many officials from our state who have moved up the ladder to the college and professional ranks have kept their MHSAA registration current to help out on nights like this at the last minute.
Past editions
September 7: Other Football Rules Changes - Listen
August 31: Pop-Up Onside Kicks - Listen
August 24: Blindside Blocks - Listen
Be the Referee: 7-Person Football Crews
November 12, 2015
This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl discusses why seven-person football crews are used for MHSAA Semifinals and Finals.
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 - 7-Person Football Mechanics - Listen
Last fall, the MHSAA used seven-person football officiating crews at the Semifinal and Final levels of our tournament for the very first time. These larger crews replaced the traditional five-person crews in the 24 most important games of the football season.
Seven-person crews, which for many years were the size of NCAA and NFL crews, provide for much better coverage in the passing and running games with all of the spread offenses and wide-open attacks that have become commonplace with football in the year 2015 and beyond. By adding the two extra officials on each deep sideline, coaches have now two officials to communicate with on each sideline to answer questions and address concerns.
Past editions:
Nov. 5: Make the Call: Personal Fouls - Listen
Oct. 29: Officials Demographics - Listen
Oct. 15: Make the Call: Intentional Grounding - Listen
Oct. 8: Playoff Selection - Listen
Oct. 1: Kick Returns - Listen
Sept. 24: Concussions - Listen
Sept. 17: Automatic First Downs - Listen
Sept. 10: Correcting a Down - Listen
Sept 3: Spearing - Listen
Aug. 27: Missed Field Goal - Listen