Be the Referee: Correcting a Down
September 10, 2015
This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl discusses how officials at the high school level have the authority to correct an error in what down is being played.
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 - Correcting a Down - Listen
For anyone who has followed football for a long time, perhaps the most famous “5th down” game was back in 1990 between Colorado and Missouri.
In that game, the officials mistakenly gave Colorado an extra down while trailing by four points. On the “fifth down” play, Colorado scored a touchdown on the final play of the game to win 33-31.
Under high school rules, the officiating crew has the ability to correct an error of the wrong down as long as it is done before the next snap. For example, if the crew realizes a team has been given an extra down, that play would be nullified and the ball would correctly go over to the other team.
Past editions:
Sept 3: Spearing - Listen
Aug. 27: Missed Field Goal - Listen
Be the Referee: Volleyball Serve
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
October 22, 2024
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 – Volleyball Serve - Listen
We’ve got a volleyball question for you today.
At the moment of the serve, which statement is NOT true:
- All players, including the libero, shall be in the correct serving order.
- All players, including the libero, are not required to be in the correct serving order.
- No player, other than the server, may have any part of the body touching the floor outside of the boundary lines.
- All players, except the server, shall be within the team’s playing court and boundary lines.
If you said – all players, including the libero, are not required to be in the correct serving order – you are correct.
At the moment of serve – all players must in the correct serving order and only the server can be outside of the playing court and boundary lines.
Previous 2024-25 Editions
Oct. 15: "You Make the Call" - Soccer Offside - Listen
Oct. 8: Roughing the Passer - Listen
Oct. 1: Abnormal Course Condition - Listen
Sept. 25: Tennis Nets - Listen
Sept. 18: Libero - Listen
Sept. 10: Cross Country Uniforms - Listen
Sept. 3: Soccer Handling - Listen
Aug. 24: Football Holding - Listen
(Photo by Gary Shook.)