Be the Referee: YMTC - Sleeper Play
November 25, 2016
This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains why the "Sleeper Play" is an illegal one in high school football.
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 – YMTC - Sleeper Play - Listen
Let’s finish up the football season with this You Make The Call.
It’s 4th down and five at the 30-yard line, and the offense begins to leave the field as the field goal unit comes on. One of those offensive players, however, doesn’t make it all the way to the bench. He stops a step short of the sideline, essentially hiding out there.
The ball is snapped, the holder stands and throws a perfect pass down the sideline to a wide-open player – that player who was hiding out at the sideline. Is this legal?
The answer is no. This is a foul for illegal participation. A team can never use a substitution or pretended substitution to deceive the defense.
Past editions
Nov. 17: Automatic 1st Downs - Listen
Nov. 10: Uncatchable Pass - Listen
Nov. 3: The Goal Line - Listen
Oct. 27: Help Us Retain Officials - Listen
Oct. 20: Point After Touchdown - Listen
Oct. 13: Untimed Down - Listen
Oct. 6: Soccer Penalty Kick Change - Listen
Sept. 29: Preparation for Officials - Listen
Sept 22: You Make the Call: Returning Kickoffs - Listen
Sept. 15: Concussions - Listen
Sept 8: Equipment Covering the Knees - Listen
Sept. 1: Play Clock Experiment - Listen
Aug. 25: Clipping in the Free Blocking Zone - Listen
Be the Referee: Catch or No Catch
By
Brent Rice
MHSAA Assistant Director
September 16, 2021
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 – Catch or No Catch - Listen
Catch … or no catch. It’s a decision that must be made in a split second and can be one of the most difficult decisions a football official has to make – especially one along the sidelines.
In high school, for a catch to be considered complete the receiver must:
Have possession and control of the ball AND
One foot or other body part must first come down in bounds.
This means that if you are forced out of bounds while in the air and with possession of the ball, it is NOT a catch. A defender can legally knock an airborne receiver out of bounds to prevent a completion. The receiver has to get one foot – or other body part – down in bounds for it to be ruled a complete catch.
Previous editions
Sept. 9: Intentional Grounding – Listen
Sept. 2: Pass Interference – Listen
Aug. 26: Protocols and Mechanics – Listen