Be the Referee: Trick Plays
November 19, 2015
This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains which trick plays in football are allowed, and not allowed, under high school rules.
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 - Trick Plays - Listen
In some of the biggest football games of the year, often times a trick play can be the difference between winning and losing.
Many types of these trick plays are perfectly legal – the halfback pass, the hook and ladder, or the double pass with the first pass being backward behind the line of scrimmage and the second pass going forward. There are several types of trick plays, however, that are prohibited by rule.
One is the old fumblerooski play, where a team intentionally fumbles near the center and a lineman picks up the ball and advances. A second type that is illegal is whenever you’re using substitutions or pretended substitutions to free up a receiver or player standing out along the sidelines.
Past editions:
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
Be the Referee: Spearing
September 3, 2015
This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains the expanded definition of spearing added for football this season.
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 - Spearing - Listen
One of the new changes to the high school football rules for this year is an expanded definition of spearing an opponent with the helmet. With all the attention on player safety and reducing the head-to-head collisions between players, this new definition of illegal helmet contact will better help officials, coaches, players and fans with what is illegal and must be penalized by rule.
Simply put, a spearing foul has taken place when any player hits an opponent with the crown, or top portion, of his helmet as the first point of contact. These fouls where contact has been initiated by a player first with the crown of the helmet must be called and enforced consistently throughout the season.
Past editions:
Aug. 27: Missed Field Goal - Listen