Be the Referee: 7-Person Football Crews
November 8, 2018
This week, MHSAA assistant director Brent Rice explains why seven-person crews are used at the Semifinals and Finals rounds of the 11-Player Football Playoffs.
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 – 7-Person Football Crews - Listen
Since 2015, the MHSAA has used seven-person football officiating crews at the Semifinal and Final levels of our 11-player tournament. These larger crews replaced the traditional five-person crews in the 24 most important games of the football season.
Seven-person crews, which for many years were the size of NCAA and NFL crews, provide for much better coverage in the passing and running games with all of the spread offenses and wide-open attacks that have become commonplace in recent years in high school football.
By adding the two extra officials on each deep sideline, coaches have now two officials to communicate with on each sideline to answer questions and address concerns.
Past editions
November 1: Overtime Differences - Listen
October 25: Trickery & Communication - Listen
October 18: Punts & Missed Field Goals - Listen
October 11: What Officials Don't Do - Listen
October 4: Always 1st-and-Goal - Listen
September 27: Unique Kickoff Option - Listen
September 20: Uncatchable Pass - Listen
September 13: Soccer Rules Change - Listen
September 6: You Make the Call: Face Guarding - Listen
August 30: 40-Second Play Clock - Listen
August 23: Football Rules Changes - Listen
Be the Referee: Field Goal Falls Short
By
Sam Davis
MHSAA Director of Officials
September 30, 2021
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 – Field Goal Falls Short - Listen
Three things can happen if a field goal attempt crosses the line of scrimmage but comes up short of the goal line. Do you know all three?
First, the ball can go out of bounds. If that happens, the ball is dead and on the change of possession, the team newly on offense takes over where the ball went out of bounds.
Second, the kicking team can be the first to touch the ball. When that happens, this is the first touching and again the team newly on offense takes over where the ball was downed.
And third, the receiving team can return the kick. And they would take over on offense after the returner has been tackled or goes out of bounds.
Think of a field goal attempt as a punt, and you’ll always know what’s possible if the kick comes up short of the goal line.
Previous editions
Sept. 23: Volleyball Obstruction - Listen
Sept. 16: Catch or No Catch - Listen
Sept. 9: Intentional Grounding – Listen
Sept. 2: Pass Interference – Listen
Aug. 26: Protocols and Mechanics – Listen