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: Southfield Arts & Technology's Isaiah Marshall
December 1, 2023
Isaiah Marshall ♦ Southfield Arts & Technology
Senior ♦ Football
The 6-foot, 205-pound quarterback provided one of the most dynamic and historic performances in MHSAA Football Finals history to close the season Sunday evening. He completed 20 of 31 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns and ran 22 times for 134 yards and the game-winning score with 47 seconds to play to lead the Warriors to a 36-32 Division 1 win over Belleville, clinching their first Finals championship in this sport and ending the Tigers’ 38-game winning streak.
Marshall finished this season throwing for 3,114 yards and 39 TDs and rushing for 1,507 yards and 16 scores as A&T ended 13-1 – avenging its lone loss by defeating West Bloomfield in its Semifinal. His 415 total yards in the Final rank fourth all-time for 11-player football, while his passing yardage ranks 19th and his completion total is tied for 12th on that list. He’s committed to sign with Kansas.
@mhsaasports 🏈POW: Isaiah Marshall #football #touchdown #goteam #quarterback #part1 #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ original sound - MHSAA
@mhsaasports 🏈POW: Isaiah Marshall #tiktalk #questiontime #part2 #lifesavers #outerbanks #chocolatemilk #chips #laughing #emoji #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ original sound - MHSAA
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Past 2023-24 Honorees
Nov. 24: Sarah Bradley, Clarkston Everest Collegiate volleyball - Report
Nov. 17: Kalieb Osborne, Waterford Mott football - Report
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 Clarkston Everest Collegiate athletic department.)