Menominee football's Hofer retires

June 11, 2012

Longtime Menominee football coach Ken Hofer retired today. He finished with a career record of 342-136-3 and led his team to three MHSAA championships.

But he is best known as the state's guru of the single win offense, which doesn't include a traditional quarterback and puzzled opponents who almost always hadn't seen the attack until running into the Maroons in the playoffs.

From Menominee Area Public Schools:

Ken Hofer, Head Varsity Football Coach of the Menominee Maroons, has announced his retirement today.

Coach Hofer first took control of the Maroon Football program in 1966, and led it to 300+ wins in 41 seasons at the helm, including MHSAA championships in 1998, 2006 and 2007.

More importantly, Menominee High School students and the greater Menominee community have been the beneficiaries of his work with young people. Coach Hofer served as teacher, athletic director, assistant principal, coach and mentor in his association with the school. He had helped to shape the adult lives of hundreds of young people through the years. The students, staff, administration and Board of Education of the Menominee Area Public Schools join in congratulating Coach Hofer on his outstanding service to young people. His impact has been felt for generations, and his legacy will continue to inspire students into the future.

--Erik Bergh, Superintendent

Set, Ready, Challenge: 11-Player Football Finals Challenges New in 2022

By Jon Ross
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties

November 25, 2022

New this year at the MHSAA 11-Player Football Finals is the opportunity for head coaches to challenge a call.

In previous years, all potential scoring plays and potential turnovers were automatically reviewed. That process will continue and now, under a limited set of circumstances, the head coach can challenge calls.

To do so, the head coach must first call a timeout. If a team has no timeouts remaining, they are not able to challenge a call. Challenges must be presented to the officials immediately after the timeout is granted. If the challenge is successful, the team will get its timeout back and have the ability to challenge one more call during regulation. A second successful challenge will not result in the ability to challenge a third call. 

The following plays are reviewable by challenge:

  • Complete/incomplete passes
  • Runner/receiver in/out of bounds
  • Runner ruled not down
  • Forward progress spot as it relates to the yard to gain
  • First touching of a kick
  • Recovery of a ball in/out of bounds
  • Forward/backward pass
  • Penalties called on the field only for:
    • Illegal forward pass
    • Targeting or illegal helmet contact
    • Pass interference only as it relates to the pass being previously tipped

NOTE: All other penalties called on the field are not reviewable. These include, but are not limited to: illegal formation, ineligible receivers downfield, illegal participation, illegal substitution or delay of game. If a penalty is not called by the officials on the field, the play can never be reviewed to retroactively call a penalty.

In overtime, challenges – like timeouts – reset. Each team has the ability to challenge one call for the entirety of overtime, but must have a timeout to use to do so. A successful challenge in overtime will not result in the ability to challenge a second call.

If a play is overturned in regulation or overtime, the replay officials will correct all aspects of the play including time, position of the ball and whether the clock will be started on the RFP or snap. The game clock or play clock may be reviewed only as it directly relates to the overturning of a call on the field.

There is no change to the review of potential scoring and potential turnover plays. Those plays are automatically looked at by the replay official and replay assistant. If the replay official can confirm the ruling on the field without stopping play, the official will do so. If more time is needed to review the play, the on-field referee will announce that and then will announce the replay official’s decision. For a play to be reversed, there must be indisputable video evidence that shows the original call was incorrect. Every attempt will be made to complete the review process in 90 seconds or less.

The addition of the coach’s challenge was approved by the MHSAA’s Representative Council at its May 2022 meeting.