Be the Referee: Intentional Grounding

October 15, 2015

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains the difference between high school and college/pro rules when it comes to intentional grounding. 

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 - Make the Call: Intentional Grounding - Listen



A QB is rolling out wide toward the sideline and is being chased by two large defenders. To avoid a certain sack, the QB throws the ball away deep down the field where no offensive receiver is even in the same zip code of where the ball hits the ground. 

What’s the call? 

Under high school rules, this is intentional grounding as there always has to be a receiver in the general area of the pass. At the college and pro levels, all the QB has to do is throw the ball beyond the line of scrimmage if he has scrambled outside of the tackle box. When at your next game, know this important difference when it comes to intentional grounding.

Past editions:
Oct. 8: Playoff Selection - Listen
Oct. 1: Kick Returns - Listen
Sept. 24: Concussions - Listen
Sept. 17: Automatic First Downs - Listen
Sept. 10: Correcting a Down - Listen
Sept 3:
Spearing - Listen
Aug. 27: Missed Field Goal - Listen

Be the Referee: Legacy Program

April 21, 2016

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl trumpets the benefits of the Legacy Program for aspiring officials.

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 - Legacy Program - Listen

The MHSAA’s Legacy Official Program is a great way for high school junior and senior students to get involved in officiating.

The Legacy Program allows these current high school students to register and work games at the subvarsity and junior high level. Each Legacy official is paired with a Mentor official, a long-time official who has years of experience they can pass on to the brand new official.

The Legacy Program is a way that an official can get started on the right foot, with a strong system and mentor system, to where the lessons learned in the first few years of officiating can bear fruit for many years.

Past editions:
April 14: Baseball/Softball Replay - Listen
March 24: Use of the Monitor - Listen
March 17: Block/Charge - Listen
March 10: Ball Stuck on the Rim - Listen
March 3: Three Seconds - Listen
Feb. 25: Deciding the Game - Listen
Feb. 18 : Cheer Safety - Listen
Feb. 11: Primary Areas - Listen
Feb. 4: Block/Charge Calls - Listen
Jan. 28: Dive on the Floor - Listen
Jan. 21: Hockey Officials' Options - Listen
Jan. 14: Recruiting Officials - Listen
Jan. 7: Wrestling Weight Monitoring - Listen
Dec. 31: Respect for Referees - Listen
Dec. 24: Basketball Instant Replay - Listen
Dec. 17: Basketball Communication - Listen
Dec. 10: Basketball Excessive Contact - Listen
Nov. 26: Pregame Communication - Listen
Nov. 19: Trick Plays - Listen
Nov. 12: 7-Person Football Mechanics - Listen
Nov. 5: Make the Call: Personal Fouls - Listen
Oct. 29: Officials Demographics - Listen
Oct. 15: Make the Call: Intentional Grounding - Listen
Oct. 8: Playoff Selection - Listen
Oct. 1: Kick Returns - Listen
Sept. 24: Concussions - Listen
Sept. 17: Automatic First Downs - Listen
Sept. 10: Correcting a Down - Listen
Sept 3:
Spearing - Listen
Aug. 27: Missed Field Goal - Listen