Be the Referee: Helmet Comes Off
October 26, 2017
In this week's edition, assistant director Mark Uyl discusses a recent football rules change geared to improve safety in situations after a player's helmet comes off during play.
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 – Helmet Comes Off - Listen
All rule changes in the game of football, at all levels over the past decade, have been geared mainly to improve player safety.
One of the rules that has come recently deals with players and their helmet. Whenever during the course of play a player’s helmet comes off during the down, that player must leave the game for a minimum of one play for an evaluation to take place to make sure that no possible concussion or head injury has occurred.
Plus – when that helmet comes off a player – we treat that just like an injury situation, to where even a timeout can’t buy that player back into the game to make sure that the proper evaluation has taken place.
Past editions
October 19: Goal Line Rules - Listen
October 12: No 1st-Year Fee - Listen
October 5: Athletic Empty Nesters - Listen
September 28: Misunderstood Football Rules: Kicking - Listen
September 21: Preparation for Officials - Listen
September 14: Always Stay Registered - Listen
September 7: Other Football Rules Changes - Listen
August 31: Pop-Up Onside Kicks - Listen
August 24: Blindside Blocks - Listen
Be the Referee: Pop-Up Onside Kicks
August 31, 2017
This week, "Be the Referee" with MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains an onside kicking technique no longer allowed as the second of a three-part series on football rules changes for 2017.
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 – Pop-Up Onside Kicks - Listen
One of the most exciting plays is the onside kick, which has turned the tide around in many games.
In the interest of safety, national high school rules this year have eliminated the onside kick where the ball is kicked with great force off the tee into the ground, generating a pop-up ball, which creates a dangerous recovery situation.
This kind of pop-up kick will immediately be blown dead by the officials, and a five-yard penalty will be assessed to the kicking team.
Onside kicks which are dribbled along the ground, hitting at least twice, are still legal by rule; and the kicker can still pooch kick the ball straight up into the air off the tee.
But the pop-up kick which hits the ground first, and bounces only once is no longer a playable ball.
Past editions
August 24: Blindside Blocks - Listen