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Be the Referee: Most Important Line

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

SBP Excellence Awards Accepting Entries

January 17, 2018

By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties  

Applications are being accepted for the MHSAA’s fifth annual SBP Excellence Awards, which recognize the efforts of member schools participating in the School Broadcast Program for content produced during the 2017-18 school year.

SBP schools can submit up to two entries in each of six categories: best single-camera production, best multi-camera production, best use of graphics, best produced local commercials/features, best student play-by-play announcers and best highlight clip.

The SBP Excellence Awards will be used in selecting the Program of the Year. Other criteria for Program of the Year include quantity and quality of productions and sports covered, best command of graphics software, initiative to cover home and away athletic contests and initiative/creative in selling local advertising and subscriptions.

Montrose High School has won the Program of the Year award the past four years.

More details about the 2017-18 SBP Excellence Awards, and an online entry form, can be found on the School Broadcast Program page of the MHSAA Website. (For more details, CLICK HERE; to go to the entry form, CLICK HERE)

The deadline for submitting entries is Feb. 16, 2018, at 4 p.m.

More than 90 live sporting events are scheduled on MHSAA.tv this week, produced by SBP participants. A total of 55 games at the varsity level will be covered, with more to be added as the week progresses. Be sure to check “Upcoming Events” on the MHSAA.tv home page daily for last-minute additions.

In its ninth 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 that wish to live stream games but lack the ability to staff the events. The program also gives schools the opportunity to raise money through advertising and viewing subscriptions
 
Here’s this week’s MHSAA.tv schedule of video streams being produced by SBP members:

Tuesday - January 16

Wednesday - January 17

Thursday, January 18

Friday – January 19

Saturday – January 20

Monday – January 21

Tuesday – January 22

Wednesday – January 24

NFHS Network subscriptions begin at $9.95 a month. Subscribers will have access to all live video and streaming statistics across the country. All content becomes available for free, on- demand viewing 72 hours after being shown live. School Broadcast Program participants will also be selling Season and Annual Passes at a discounted rate. A portion of every subscription sold by a school goes to benefit its program.
 
A complete list of participating schools can be found on the School Broadcast Program page of the MHSAA website.

Highlights of games produced in the past week by MHSAA School Broadcast Program members feature the following events:

Highlights can be found each week on the MHSAA.tv website, the home page of the MHSAA Website, and the MHSAASports Channel on YouTube.

With the winter sports season fully underway, StateChamps! High School Sports Show returns with new weekly editions debuting each Sunday at 9 a.m. on Fox Sports Detroit – featuring fresh editions of the MHSAA Minute.

The MHSAA Minute takes a look each week at different things happening in the life of the Association, from promoting educational programs to rules changes in high school sports. This week’s Minute promotes the upcoming Women In Sports Leadership Conference. Archived editions of MHSAA Minute can be found on the StateChamps! YouTube Channel.