Be the Referee: Punts & Missed FGs

October 18, 2018

This week, MHSAA assistant director Brent Rice explains how high school rules differ from collegiate and professional when it comes to these kick scenarios.

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 – Punts & Missed Field Goals - Listen

One of the differences between high school football rules and rules at the collegiate and professional levels deals with punts and missed field goals.

Essentially, the place kick is treated like a punt as it relates to team possession from the goal line and out of bounds. If either goes out of bounds from inside the field of play, the defensive team takes possession at that spot. If either goes into the end zone, the defensive team may not return the kick.

And a missed field goal in high school that goes into or through the end zone, resulting in a touchback, has the defense taking over, first and 10, at their own 20, regardless of the previous spot.

Past editions

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: Football OT

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator

November 5, 2024

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 – Football OT - Listen

We’ve got a football overtime question for you today. In high school, what is the only way a defensive team can score in overtime?

  • Can they return an interception for a touchdown?
  • Can they pick up a fumble and take it back for a touchdown?

If you said yes to either of those, you’re wrong.

In overtime, if the defense gains possession of the ball – be it by fumble or interception – the play is over. There’s no advancing of the ball, and the offensive possession is over.

So back to the original question: How can the defense score in overtime? There’s only one way – via safety. And with teams starting at the 10-yard line, that would be a pretty wild play – and it would end the game with the defensive team victorious.

Previous 2024-25 Editions

Oct. 29: Officials Registration - Listen
Oct. 22: Volleyball Serve - Listen
Oct. 15: "You Make the Call"
- Soccer Offside - Listen
Oct. 8: Roughing the Passer - Listen
Oct. 1: Abnormal Course Condition - Listen
Sept. 25: Tennis Nets - Listen
Sept. 18:
 Libero - Listen
Sept. 10:
 Cross Country Uniforms - Listen
Sept. 3: Soccer Handling - Listen
Aug. 24: Football Holding - Listen

PHOTO An officiating crew confers before this season’s Fowler/Bath varsity football game. (Photo by John Johnson.)