Be the Referee: Most Important Line

Highlights

October 31, 2019

This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis explains what the goal line means for offenses, defenses and special teams in high school football.

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 - Most Important Line - Listen

There’s an old saying in football officiating that the most important line on the field is the goal line.

This is certainly true when it comes to touchdowns, as the high school rule is just like that at the college and pro level, where all the ball has to do is break the plane for the score.

One unique part of the goal line under high school rules deals with kicks. Whenever a kickoff or a punt breaks the plane of the goal line, it becomes a dead ball with an automatic touchback. Now, whenever the defense gets possession of the ball in the end zone, it can return a fumble or interception out of the end zone for advancement, except if it’s on an extra point or any time in overtime.

Past editions

Oct. 24: Automatic 1st Downs - Listen
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

Highlights

League Leaders Meet on MHSAA TV

January 22, 2019

By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties

A number of basketball match-ups with conference leads on the line highlight this week’s MHSAA.tv schedule, which again is offering more than 250 events produced by School Broadcast Program participants.

In Boys Basketball: On Wednesday (Jan. 23), Bad Axe is hosting Unionville-Sebewaing at 6 p.m., and both teams are 5-0 in the Greater Thumb Conference West. Ovid-Elsie welcomes New Lothrop in a Thursday contest at 7 p.m., with the two teams tied for the top of the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference with 5-1 league records. On Friday (Jan. 25) at 7:30 p.m., Reed City is at Fremont, where both teams are 5-1 in the Central State Activities Association Gold.

In Girls Basketball: An early Saginaw Valley League Red showdown Friday has Saginaw Heritage (9-0 overall, 2-0 league) at Bay City John Glenn (8-1, 1-0) at 7 p.m.

In its 10th year, the School Broadcast Program gives members an opportunity to showcase excellence in their schools by creating video programming of athletic and non-athletic events, with students gaining skills in announcing, camera operation, directing/producing and graphics. Pixellot – the NFHS Network’s automated streaming solution – is used by schools wishing to live stream games but lacking the ability to staff events. The SBP also gives schools the opportunity to raise money through advertising and viewing subscriptions.

Here’s the upcoming MHSAA.tv schedule of video streams being produced by School Broadcast Program members and the NFHS Network:

Search

Past editions