Be the Referee: Football OT
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
November 5, 2024
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 – Football OT - Listen
We’ve got a football overtime question for you today. In high school, what is the only way a defensive team can score in overtime?
- Can they return an interception for a touchdown?
- Can they pick up a fumble and take it back for a touchdown?
If you said yes to either of those, you’re wrong.
In overtime, if the defense gains possession of the ball – be it by fumble or interception – the play is over. There’s no advancing of the ball, and the offensive possession is over.
So back to the original question: How can the defense score in overtime? There’s only one way – via safety. And with teams starting at the 10-yard line, that would be a pretty wild play – and it would end the game with the defensive team victorious.
Previous 2024-25 Editions
Oct. 29: Officials Registration - Listen
Oct. 22: Volleyball Serve - Listen
Oct. 15: "You Make the Call" - Soccer Offside - Listen
Oct. 8: Roughing the Passer - Listen
Oct. 1: Abnormal Course Condition - Listen
Sept. 25: Tennis Nets - Listen
Sept. 18: Libero - Listen
Sept. 10: Cross Country Uniforms - Listen
Sept. 3: Soccer Handling - Listen
Aug. 24: Football Holding - Listen
PHOTO An officiating crew confers before this season’s Fowler/Bath varsity football game. (Photo by John Johnson.)
Be the Referee: Libero
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
September 17, 2024
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 – Libero - Listen
In volleyball, a libero is a defensive player who plays in the back row. It’s a fairly new position, as it was introduced in 1998 – and the libero plays by some unique rules:
► The libero wears a different color jersey from the rest of the team – so they are easily identifiable. Only one libero can be designated for each set of a match.
► The libero can serve, but can't perform an overhead set in front of the attack line, or complete an attack if the ball is above the net.
► The libero is never allowed to rotate to the front line.
► The libero is the first line of defense, often passing to the setter and covering open spaces.
► The libero can be replaced without restriction – but in the event of an injury, can only be replaced by the player the libero originally replaced.
Previous 2024-25 Editions
Sept. 10: Cross Country Uniforms - Listen
Sept. 3: Soccer Handling - Listen
Aug. 24: Football Holding - Listen
PHOTO Livonia Franklin libero Mckenna Moore (1) defends during her team's match against Livonia Churchill this season. (Photo by Douglas Bargerstock.)