Be the Referee: Other Football Changes

September 7, 2017

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl discusses a few final football rules in the final of a three-part series on changes in the sport for this fall.

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 – Other Football Rules Changes - Listen


Today in our final segment of a three-part series on the football rules changes for the 2017 season, we’re going to be looking at three items:

• On passing plays, pass interference will no longer be called when the defender is simply face guarding the receiver with no contact.

• In the final two minutes of a half, the team accepting a penalty will now have the option of restarting the game clock with the snap of the ball, rather than the referee’s ready-for-play signal.

• This is the second year of an experiment in Michigan with a 40- second play clock, which starts shortly after a play is over, replacing the 25-second play clock which was always started by the referee marking the ball ready for play.

Past editions
August 31: Pop-Up Onside Kicks - Listen
August 24: Blindside Blocks - Listen

Be the Referee: Field Hockey Penalty Stroke

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator

October 21, 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 – Field Hockey Penalty Stroke - Listen

We have a field hockey “You Make the Call” for you today.

A penalty stroke is awarded to the white team as time expires in the third quarter, with red leading by three goals. Should the official award the penalty stroke?

Yes. Since this occurred at the end of the third quarter, the official must award the penalty stroke and continue play until it is completed.

However, if the same situation happens as time expires in the fourth quarter and red is still ahead by three goals, the official shall end the game without awarding the penalty stroke.

New this year, if a penalty stroke is called at the end of the game and the outcome cannot affect the result, the game is not extended. A stroke is only taken if it could alter the result. Otherwise, it’s game over.

Previous 2025-26 editions

Oct. 14: Tennis Double Hit - Listen
Oct. 7: Safety in Football - Listen
Sept. 30: Field Hockey Substitution - Listen
Sept 23: Multiple Contacts in Volleyball - Listen
Sept. 16: Soccer Penalty Kick - Listen
Sept. 9: Forward Fumble - Listen
Sept. 2: Field Hockey Basics - Listen
Aug. 26: Golf Ball Bounces Out - Listen

(Photo courtesy of Caroline Sutton.)