Be the Referee: Intentional Grounding
October 15, 2015
This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains the difference between high school and college/pro rules when it comes to intentional grounding.
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 - Make the Call: Intentional Grounding - Listen
A QB is rolling out wide toward the sideline and is being chased by two large defenders. To avoid a certain sack, the QB throws the ball away deep down the field where no offensive receiver is even in the same zip code of where the ball hits the ground.
What’s the call?
Under high school rules, this is intentional grounding as there always has to be a receiver in the general area of the pass. At the college and pro levels, all the QB has to do is throw the ball beyond the line of scrimmage if he has scrambled outside of the tackle box. When at your next game, know this important difference when it comes to intentional grounding.
Be the Referee: Field Goals
September 24, 2014
This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains a rule unique to high school football – what results at our level after a missed field goal attempt.
"Be the Referee" is 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 segment 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 - Field Goals - Listen
Today we are going to talk about one of the most unique rules to high school football, and it deals with field goals; in particular, what happens after a missed field goal.
Under high school rules, field goals are really treated just like punts. The only difference for the kicking team is that you can score three points if the ball goes through the uprights.
On a missed field goal that comes up well short, let’s say at the 5-yard line, and the ball either comes to a rest or rolls out of bounds at the 5, the new offense will take over first down and 10 at that 5-yard line. The only time the offense would take over at the 20 is if that missed field goal does break the plane of the goal line.
Never under high school rules would the team take over where the ball was kicked or originally snapped.
Past editions
Aug. 25 - Targeting - Listen
Sept. 4 - Concussions - Listen
Sept. 11 - Pass Interference - Listen
Sept 18 - Tackle Box - Listen