Be the Referee: Point After Touchdown

October 20, 2016

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains how high school rules differ from those used by colleges when it comes to what's allowed after extra-point tries.

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 – Point After Touchdown - Listen

For many years at the pro and college levels of football, the P-A-T or the extra point kick, really became a ho-hum play.

Last year in the NFL, they tried to make the play more exciting by moving the kickers back, making it almost the distance of a medium-range field goal.

Under college rules, they allow the other team – the defense, whenever they get the ball – to try to return it all the way to the other end with the ability to score two points.

The next high school game you’re at, know this: that once the defensive team gets possession of the ball on an extra point or try for point, the try is over and the defense cannot score any points.

Past editions
Oct. 13: Untimed Down - Listen
Oct. 6: Soccer Penalty Kick Change - Listen
Sept. 29: Preparation for Officials - Listen
Sept 22: You Make the Call: Returning Kickoffs - Listen
Sept. 15: Concussions - Listen
Sept 8: Equipment Covering the Knees - Listen
Sept. 1: Play Clock Experiment - Listen
Aug. 25: Clipping in the Free Blocking Zone - Listen

Be the Referee: Pass/Kick Off Crossbar

By Sam Davis
MHSAA Director of Officials

November 7, 2023

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 – Pass/Kick Off Crossbar - Listen

It’s 3rd-and-goal from the 12-yard line when the quarterback throws a pass high over the middle. It goes over the out-stretched hands of the receiver, hits the crossbar of the goalposts and ricochets back toward the receiver who is able to grab it while standing in the end zone.

Is this a touchdown?

It is not. Once a pass hits the crossbar – or uprights – of the goalposts, the pass is dead. It’s an incomplete pass, and now it’s 4th-and-goal.

So … they send out the field goal unit and the kick hits an upright and also bounces back into the field of play. Is the ball returnable by either team?

Nope. Once it hits the goal post and comes back onto the field – it is a missed field goal. The defense now takes over, 1st-and-10.

Previous Editions

Oct. 31: Cross Country Interference - Listen
Oct. 24: Soccer Overtime - Listen
Oct. 17: Tennis Spin - Listen
Oct. 10: Blocked Kick - Listen
Oct. 3: Volleyball Double & Lift - Listen
Sept. 26: Registration Process - Listen
Sept. 20: Animal Interference - Listen
Sept. 13: Feet Rule on Soccer Throw-In - Listen
Sept. 6: Volleyball Jewelry - Listen
Aug. 30: Football Rules Similarities - Listen
Aug. 23: Football Rules Differences - Listen