Be the Referee: Pass Interference
September 9, 2014
This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains one of the toughest calls to make on the football field.
"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 - Pass Interference - Listen
Today we’re going to talk about one of the most difficult calls for any football official – pass interference. It’s important to know that whenever a forward pass is thrown beyond the line of scrimmage that both players – the offensive receiver as well as the defender – each have an equal right to make a play on the football.
Now, not all contact will automatically result in a pass interference foul. The official must judge if that early contact before the ball arrives has placed one of the two players at a distinct disadvantage. When that contact does create the disadvantage, you have a foul for pass interference. When the contact is minimal and is simply incidental, no foul has occurred.
Past editions
Aug. 25 - Targeting - Listen
Sept. 4 - Concussions - Listen
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.