Be the Referee: Helmet Comes Off
October 26, 2017
In this week's edition, assistant director Mark Uyl discusses a recent football rules change geared to improve safety in situations after a player's helmet comes off during play.
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 – Helmet Comes Off - Listen
All rule changes in the game of football, at all levels over the past decade, have been geared mainly to improve player safety.
One of the rules that has come recently deals with players and their helmet. Whenever during the course of play a player’s helmet comes off during the down, that player must leave the game for a minimum of one play for an evaluation to take place to make sure that no possible concussion or head injury has occurred.
Plus – when that helmet comes off a player – we treat that just like an injury situation, to where even a timeout can’t buy that player back into the game to make sure that the proper evaluation has taken place.
Past editions
October 19: Goal Line Rules - Listen
October 12: No 1st-Year Fee - Listen
October 5: Athletic Empty Nesters - Listen
September 28: Misunderstood Football Rules: Kicking - Listen
September 21: Preparation for Officials - Listen
September 14: Always Stay Registered - Listen
September 7: Other Football Rules Changes - Listen
August 31: Pop-Up Onside Kicks - Listen
August 24: Blindside Blocks - Listen
Be the Referee: Football Targeting
August 22, 2014
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.