Be the Referee: Football Targeting

August 22, 2014

The MHSAA this week is introducing a the first of a weekly "Be the Referee" segment designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.   

The series features MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl's insights on officiating.  These weekly messages can be heard on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the school year on The Drive With Jack Ebling on WVFN-AM, East Lansing.

Below is this week's segment:  

"Be The Referee" 
Aug. 25 - Targeting - Listen

Today we are going to talk about one of the new rules changes for this fall’s high school football season, targeting. This is yet another example of player safety being the number one priority in our game.

Targeting deals with getting the “head” out of the game of football. Many times when you will see a targeting foul is when a player will use the top or the crown of his helmet to launch or propel himself into an opposing player, making that helmet to helmet contact, which can be so dangerous for both players involved.

When a targeting foul happens, the officials, if they judge it to be flagrant, can not only enforce a 15-yard penalty but also can eject the offending player.

Be the Referee: Golf Ball Bounces Out

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator

August 26, 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 – Golf Ball Bounces Out - Listen

Let’s talk about a very unlikely – but also very fun – possibility on the golf course today.

Golfer 1 is playing their approach shot first, from about 100 yards out. Their shot takes two bounces on the green and rolls straight into the hole for an eagle. What a shot!

Golfer 2 is next and has a shot from about 80 yards out. Again, after a couple of bounces, it’s rolling straight for the hole. It rolls into the cup, but because the first ball is still in there, it hops out and comes to a stop about three feet away.

What’s the ruling?

It’s still an eagle for the first golfer. But the second now has to putt from three feet out. There’s no penalty, but the ball is to be played as it lies. Hopefully the birdie putt is good.