Be the Referee: Officials & Injuries

October 9, 2014

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains the official's role when it comes to player injuries.

"Be the Referee" is designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating and to recruit officials. The segment can be heard on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the school year on The Drive With Jack Ebling on WVFN-AM, East Lansing.  

Below is this week's segment - Officials & Injuries - Listen

Player safety is the number one topic in football, from the NFL level to college to high school, all the way down to the youth levels. We often get the question, what is the official’s role when it comes to player injuries?

Officials have no role in diagnosing injuries. However, they must be constantly aware of what’s taking place on the field, and whenever a player is showing signs and symptoms of a possible injury, the game needs to be stopped and that team’s staff alerted to a possible injury.

The decisions on that injury are made by the team’s staff, which often includes a doctor, certified athletic trainer and members of the coaching staff to be certain that the best interests of the student-athlete is being followed in every case.

Past editions
Oct. 1 - Overtime - Listen
Sept. 25 - Field Goals - Listen
Sept. 18 - Tackle Box - Listen
Sept. 11 - Pass Interference - Listen
Aug. 25 - Targeting - Listen

Be The Referee: Play Clock

By Sam Davis
MHSAA Director of Officials

August 30, 2022

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 – Play Clock - Listen

There’s a new rule in football this year that provides the offense more time to draw up a play and prepare matchups when the defense commits a foul. 

In the past, if the defense committed a foul, the play clock would be set to 25 seconds, potentially changing the approach by the offense entirely. 

Under the change, when the defense or receiving team commits a foul, the play clock will start at 40 seconds, giving the offense an extra 15 seconds to prepare their scheme for the next play. 

For all other administrative stoppages, including fouls against the offense or kicking team, the play clock will be set to 25 seconds when play resumes.
 

Previous Editions:

Aug. 23: Intentional Grounding Change - Listen