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