Be the Referee: Football Rules Similarities
By
Sam Davis
MHSAA Director of Officials
August 30, 2023
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 Rules Similarities - Listen
Last week we highlighted some major differences between high school football and the college and pros. This week — how about some of the things that are similar?
New as of last year is the addition of a tackle box when judging intentional grounding. In high school, like college and pros, the QB must be outside of the tackle box and throw it past the line of scrimmage for it to NOT be intentional grounding.
Horse collar tackles are penalties at all three levels of play. The ball carrier must be pulled down backward or to one side for there to be a foul … but if there is, it’s 15 yards.
And a receiver at the high school level needs to have a body part down in bounds, the same as in college. But the NFL requires two feet in for a catch.
Previous Editions
Aug. 23: Football Rules Differences - Listen
(PHOTO by Douglas Bargerstock.)
Performance of the Week: Detroit Cass Tech's Alex Graham
October 25, 2024
Alex Graham ♦ Detroit Cass Tech
Senior ♦ Football
Graham, a senior receiver, caught a 28-yard touchdown pass and returned a kickoff 72 yards for a score as Cass Tech downed Detroit Martin Luther King 30-14 at Ford Field to claim the Detroit Public School League Blue City championship. In doing so, the Technicians also avenged an 18-12 overtime loss to the Crusaders from Week 4. They are 6-2 and ranked No. 7 in Division 1 in this week’s state coaches poll.
One of the top college football prospects in the state, Graham has committed to continue his career at Colorado. He has considered studying mechanical engineering but is leaning toward something geared more toward coaching as he’d like to remain in football when his playing days are complete. Graham also ran track previously for Cass Tech.
@mhsaasports 🏈POW: Alex Graham #football #CassTech #score #part1 #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ original sound - MHSAA
@mhsaasports 🏈POW: Alex Graham #tiktalk #questiontime #trumpet #laughing #emoji #pizza #saucegardner #part2 #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey
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Previous 2024-25 honorees
Oct. 11: Victoria Garces, Midland Dow cross country - Report
Oct. 4: Asher Clark, Bay City John Glenn soccer - Report
Sept. 26: Campbell Flynn, Farmington Hills Mercy volleyball - Report
Sept. 19: TJ Hansen, Freeland cross country - Report
Sept. 12: Jordan Peters, Grayling soccer - Report
Sept. 6: Gabe Litzner, Sault Ste. Marie cross country - Report
Aug. 30: Grace Slocum, Traverse City St. Francis golf - Report
(Top photo by Olivia B. Photography.)