Be the Referee: Automatic 1st Downs
October 24, 2019
This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis explains differences in high school football rules regarding automatic first downs from similar rules at the college and pro levels.
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 - Automatic 1st Downs - Listen
Today we are going to talk about one of the biggest rule difference areas in high school football from those rules used in college and pro games – automatic first downs.
When watching that college game on Saturday or the pro game on Sunday, all of us know there are several defensive fouls that give the offense an automatic first down. However, under high school rules, the opposite is true most of the time.
The only high school fouls that result in an automatic first down for the offense are the roughing fouls – roughing the passer, the kicker, the holder and the long snapper. Fouls such as defensive pass interference or any other personal foul do not bring an automatic first down under high school rules.
Past editions
Oct. 17: Catch Momentum - Listen
Oct. 10: Golf Rules Changes - Listen
Oct. 3: No Tackle Box - Listen
Sept. 26: You Make the Overtime Call - Listen
Sept. 19: Swimming Finishing Touch - Listen
Sept. 12: Curbing Gamesmanship By Substitution - Listen
Sept. 5: Football Safety Rules Changes - Listen
Aug. 29: 40-Second Play Clock - Listen
Performance of the Week: Waterford Mott's Kalieb Osborne
November 17, 2023
Kalieb Osborne ♦ Waterford Mott
Senior ♦ Football
The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Osborn completed 13 of 21 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns and ran 16 times for 73 yards and two more scores as Mott defeated Gibraltar Carlson 40-19 in a Division 2 Regional Final – clinching the Corsairs’ first Regional championship in this sport. Mott (10-2) faces two-time reigning Division 2 champion Warren De La Salle Collegiate in a Semifinal on Saturday at Troy Athens.
For the season, Osborn has completed 224 of 307 passes for 3,532 yards and 34 touchdowns (with just six interceptions) and run 214 times for 1,865 yards and 25 scores. The passing yardage ranks 10th in MHSAA history for a single season, and the completions, attempts and throwing TDs all rank on record book lists as well. A three-year starter at quarterback, he’s committed to sign with Toledo and also plays basketball at Mott.
@mhsaasports 🏈POW: Kalieb Osborne #football #touchdown #waterfordmott #letsgo #part1 #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ original sound - MHSAA
@mhsaasports 🏈POW: Kalieb Osborne #tiktalk #questiontime #part2 #airheads #bowling #mcdonalds #fruit #sand #night #laughing #emoji #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ original sound - MHSAA
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Past 2023-24 Honorees
Nov. 10: Tekalegn Vlasma, Muskegon Western Michigan Christian soccer - Report
Nov. 3: Colton Kinnie, Birmingham Seaholm football - Report
Oct. 27: Lauren Timpf, Macomb Lutheran North golf - Report
Oct. 20: Alena Li, Okemos golf - Report
Oct. 13: Seth Norder, Grand Haven cross country - Report
Oct. 5: Paige Anderson, Muskegon Reeths-Puffer golf - Report
Sept. 29: MacKenzie Bisballe, Lake City volleyball - Report
Sept. 22: Jhace Massey, Gladwin football - Report
Sept. 15: Kaylee Draper, Sturgis swimming - Report
Sept. 8: Owen Jackson, Traverse City St. Francis tennis - Report
Sept. 1: Rachel Forsyth, Ann Arbor Pioneer cross country - Report
(Photos courtesy of the Waterford Mott athletic department.)