Be the Referee: Overtime Differences

November 1, 2018

This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis explains how high school football overtime differs from extra play at the college level.

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 – Overtime Differences - Listen

There are a few differences in high school football overtime compared to college games.

During overtime in high school football, each team begins its offensive series 1st-and-Goal from the 10- yard line as opposed to 1st–and-10 at the 25. The only way a team can pick up a first down is on a roughing foul – roughing the passer, the holder, the center or the kicker.

A lost fumble or intercepted pass ends a team’s offensive series, (and on) a try for an extra point following a touchdown, the defense cannot return the ball for a score. And unlike college football, there is never a requirement that a team go for a 2-point conversion. What is common between the two levels is that each team gets one timeout per overtime, and unused timeouts don’t carry over from regulation or from overtimes.

Past editions

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: Toe the Line on PKs

October 15, 2020

This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis explains a change in soccer affecting goalkeeper movement during penalty kicks.

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 - Toe the Line on Penalty Kicks - Listen

Here’s a high school soccer rules change for the upcoming season. Rules for the placement and movement of the goalkeeper on a penalty kick have been rewritten to make it more clear what a keeper can or cannot do.

As in previous years, goalkeepers can move laterally along the goal line prior to the taking of the penalty kick. But new this year, goalkeepers need only have one foot on (or in-line) with the goal line at the time of the kick.

This allows keepers to lunge before the ball is kicked, as long as one foot stays on the line. Previously, the goalie needed to keep both feet on the goal line or in line.

Past editions

10/8: Disconcerting Acts - Listen
10/1: Ball Hits Soccer Referee - Listen
9/24: Clocking the Ball from the Shotgun - Listen