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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.

A football referee signals he is assigning a penalty by pointing to that side of the field.

Be the Referee: Defensive Holding

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Director of Brand Management

October 6, 2026

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 – Defensive Holding - Listen

Team A has the ball on their own 20-yard line and its 4th-and-15. They decide to go for it. The quarterback drops back to pass and is sacked at his 15-yard line, a five-yard loss.

But during the play, Team B – the defense – is flagged for holding an eligible wide receiver.

How is the penalty administered?

  • Is it 4th-and-5 from Team A’s 30?
  • Is it 4th-and-10 from Team A’s 25?
  • Is it 1st-and-10 from Team A’s 30?
  • Or is it 1st-and-10 from Team A’s 25?

If you said it is 4th-and-5 from Team A’s 30 – you are correct.

Defensive holding is a 10-yard penalty from the previous spot – which was the 20-yard line. Team A now has possession at the 30, needing to get to the 35 for first down.

Previous 2026-27 editions

Sept. 29: Minimum Number of Volleyball Players - Listen
Sept 22: Soccer Changes - Listen
Sept: 15: Dead Ball Penalty - Listen
Sept. 8: Libero Ejected - Listen
Sept. 1: Soccer Foul After Shot on Goal - Listen
Aug. 25: Fumble Out of Bounds - Listen