Kicking game- 3

Fair catch

Although it is somewhat rare, a fair catch on a free kick is allowed assuming all requirements connected with fair catches (e.g. valid signal, ball in flight, etc.) are met. For more on fair catches, see Chapter 3, Fair Catches.

Game clock (2)

As with any other scrimmage play, if the game clock is not running, it starts when the ball is legally snapped. After a punt, the clock stops by rule (e.g. fair catch, ball or runner go out of bounds, etc.)

Resuming play after a punt

If a punt is downed, fair caught or goes out of bounds, team R puts the ball in play at the spot the kick was downed, fair caught or went out of bounds. If team R catches or recovers the punt and the runner is downed or goes out of bounds, team R begins a new series at the dead-ball spot. If first touching is involved, team R has the options detailed in Chapter 2.

Game clock

On a free kick, the game clock starts when the kick is touched, other than first touching by team K. The clock stops when it becomes dead by rule (e.g. the ball or the runner goes out of bounds, a touchback occurs, etc.)

Free kick after fair catch

One of team R's options following a fair catch or awarded fair catch is a free kick that, if successful, scores three points. See Chapter 9, Scoring Kicks, for details.

Punt out of bounds- Play 10: As seen in MechaniGram O, the ball is snapped on team K's 45 yardline. K1's punt is blocked behind the neutral zone and the ball rolls out of bounds at team K's 40 yardline. The play occurs on (a), first, second or third down, or (b) fourth down.

Ruling 10: The ball belongs to team R in (a) and (b). In terms of a new series, the down, distance to the line-to-gain are not factors when a punt goes out of bounds.

Blocking- Play 10: As seen in MechaniGram G, team K kicks off from its own 40 yardline. K2 blocks R1 from the front and above the waist after K1's onside kick touches the ground at team R's 48 yardline.

Ruling 10: The block is legal because team K is eligible to recover the free kick once it travels 10 yards and touches the ground (in either order).

Blocking- Play 11: As seen in MechaniGram H, team K attempts an onside kick from its own 40 yardline. As K2 is rushing toward the grounded kick, R1 blocks K2 from the front and above the waist.

Ruling 11: Legal play. Because R3 initiated contact, team K players may block opponents.

Blocking- Play 12: K1 attempts an onside kick from his own 40 yardline. K2 and R3 run full speed into each other. The blocks are above the waist and from the front and do not qualify for any other foul. The blocks occur before the kick has either traveled 10 yards or contacted the ground.

Ruling 12: By high school interpretation, when in doubt, team R initiated the contact. There is no foul.

Kick beyond neutral zone- Play 1: Fourth and 10 on team K's 30 yardline. The snap goes to K1, who fakes a punt and starts to run. When K1 is at his 35 yardline, he changes his mind and punts the ball, which travels well downfield.

Ruling 1: Although K1 made an illegal kick, the ball remains live and in play and is treated the same as a legal punt. If the penalty is accepted, it is enforced 15 yards from the spot of the kick and the down is repeated.

Ball declared dead or remains live- Play 1: Team K's scoring kick is blocked. K2 catches the deflected the ball behind the neutral zone and begins to advance. The kick is a (a) kick try, (b) field goal attempt.

Ruling 1: In (a), the ball should be declared dead when the kick is blocked because it is obvious it won't score. In (b), the ball remains live. Remember that team K may advance a scrimmage kick other than a try that it catches or recovers behind its neutral zone.

Free kicks- Play 1: Team K will free kick from its 40 yardline. The official hands the ball to K1, who places the ball on a tee which is in the middle of the field. After team K huddles, K1 picks up the ball and tee and moves them to a spot on a hashmark.

Ruling 1: That movement results in a dead-ball foul. K1 changed the designated spot. The penalty is five yards. Team K may change locations for the kick if a dead-ball foul prevents the kick or if the down is to be replayed.

Punt- Play 1: Fourth and 10 on team K's 20 yardline. As seen in MechaniGram D, team K's formation has players on its line of scrimmage numbered as follows (left end to right tackle): 81, 17, 77, 33, 66 and 88. Number 84 is the split end on the right side. The backfield includes players numbered 15, 31 and 22. A player wearing number 50 is 10 yards behind the line as if to punt. Snapper number 33 legally adjusts the ball for the snap. As number 50 is calling signals before the snap, number 22 moves up to the line between number 88 and number 84 (MechaniGram E). The ball is snapped after all team K players are motionless for at least one second.

Ruling 1: When the ball is snapped, the following players are ineligible receivers- 17, 77, 33, 66, 88, and 22. Each of those players is between the ends and thus is ineligible. Additionally, punter number 50 is ineligible by number. The only eligible receivers are numbers 81, 84, 15 and 31.

Resuming play after a scoring kick- Play 2: Team K's ball, fourth and 10 from team R's 30 yardline. K1's field goal attempt is short and hits the ground at team R's 18 yardline, where it is touched by (a) R2, or (b) K3. K4 recovers at team R's 16 yardline.

Ruling 2: In (a), because team R touched the kick beyond the neutral zone, team K is eligible to recover. It will be team K's ball, first and 10 at team R' s16 yardline. In (b), K3's action is first touching. K4's recovery caused the ball to become dead. Team R will likely take the ball at the spot of first touching, team R's 18 yardline.

Free kicks- Play 2: Team K will free kick from its 40 yardline. The official hands the ball to K1, who places the ball on a tee, which is in the middle of the field. Team K is flagged for (a) encroachment before the ball can be kicked, or (b) kicking the ball out of bounds, with team R choosing enforcement from the previous spot.

Ruling 2: In both cases, team K may choose a different spot between the hashmark on its 35 yardline from which to kick.

Catch or recovery by team K- Play 2: K1's fourth-down punt is high and short. It lands five yards beyond the line and caroms behind the line, where K2 recovers the ball and advances beyond the line to gain. While the kick was beyond the line it (a) was touched by R1, or (b) was not touched by any player.

Ruling 2: K2's advances are legal in (a) and (b). In (a), it would have been a first down for team K even if K2 did not advance beyond the line to gain.

Kick beyond neutral zone- Play 2: K1 punts the ball from beyond the neutral zone. The kick is in flight well downfield and R2 gives a valid fair catch signal.

Ruling 2: Team K is guilty of an illegal kick. Since an illegal kick retains its status as a kick, the fair catch is valid. Team R may choose enforcement of a 15-yard penalty from the spot of the kick or decline the penalty and take the result of the play.

Team K Formation- Play 3: Team K is lined up to free kick from its own 40 yardline. After the ready signal but before the kick K1, who is not the kicker, is straddling team K's 34 yardline.

Ruling 3: Legal.

Touching by team R- Play 3: K1's punt on fourth and 10 on team K's 20 yardline is high and short. R2 muffs the ball at team K's 27 yardline. K3 recovers at team K's (a) 18, or (b) 33 yardline.

Ruling 3: Since R1 touched the kick beyond the neutral zone, it will be first down for team K in (a) and (b). Note that in (b), team K can recover but not advance because the ball is recovered beyond the neutral zone.

Return kick- Play 3: After catching a punt beyond the line, R2 punts the ball back.

Ruling 3: That is an illegal kick. The ball remains live. The penalty is 15 yards from the spot of the foul.

Resuming play after a scoring kick- Play 3: Team K's ball, fourth and 10 from team R's 30 yardline. K1's field goal attempt is short and is caught or recovered by R2 at team R's 18 yardline. R2 advances to (a) team R's 33 yardline, where he is downed; or (b) team K's end zone.

Ruling 3: The advance by R2 is legal in both cases. The play is treated the same as a punt. In (a), team R begins a new series at team R's 33 yardline. In (b), it is a touchdown for team R.

Illegal tee/Spot enhancement- Play 4: On a kickoff, holder K1 (a) creates a tee with a mound of dirt or sod, or (b) holds the ball on his upraised toe (PlayPic D, p. 112). K2 free kicks off that makeshift tee.

Ruling 4: In (a) and (b), it is an illegal kick, a live-ball foul. If the penalty is accepted, it is enforced 15 yards from the previous spot and the kickoff is repeated.

Kick touched in team R' end zone- Play 4: Fourth and 12 on team R's 39 yardline. K1 attempts a field goal from team R's 46 yardline. As the ball is about to go over the crossbar in flight, R2 leaps and (a) bats the ball to the ground in front of the crossbar; or (b) tries to catch the ball only to have it deflect to the ground; or (c) bats the ball to the ground in front of the crossbar and the ball is recovered by K3 in the end zone.

Ruling 4: In (a), (b) and (c), the ball is dead when it's apparent the kick will not score. The result is a touchback.

Touching by team R- Play 4: K1's punt on fourth and 10 on team K's 20 yardline is high and short. R2 muffs the ball at team K's 27 yardline. The ball then bounds back behind the line of scrimmage and is recovered by K3 at team K's 18 yardline. K3 (a) throws an incomplete pass to an eligible teammate; (b) punts again, with the ball rolling out of bounds at team K's 47 yardline; or (c) punts again, with R4 catching the kick and advancing for a touchdown.

Ruling 4: In (a), the pass is legal since it was thrown from behind the neutral zone and there was no change of possession during the down (remember that a muff does not constitute possession). The ball was touched by team R beyond the expanded neutral zone and team K is in possession at the end of the down. It is first and 10 for team K from its own 20 yardline. In (b), the second punt was legal. Team R was in legal possession after the down, therefore it will be first and 10 for team R from team K's 47 yardline. In (c), the touchdown counts. R4 gained legal possession when he caught the second punt.

Onside kicks- Play 4: As seen in PlayPic C, on an extremely windy day, K1 kicks off from his own 40 yardline. The ball travels 12 yards in flight and is untouched when the wind blows it back to team K's 47 yardline. K2 catches the ball at team K's 44 yardline.

Ruling 4: The ball is dead when K2 recovers. Although the ball went beyond the plane of team R's free-kick line, it did not strike the ground. Therefore, team K has committed kick-catching interference.

Onside kicks- Play 5: K1 attempts an onside kick from his own 40 yardline. K2 muffs the grounded kick at team K's 47 yardline. The ball is then (a) recovered by R3, (b) recovered by K4, or (c) muffed by R3 and recovered by K4.

Ruling 5: In all three cases, K2's muff is first touching. In (a), the ball remains live and R3 may advance if he wishes. Assuming team R does not foul after R3's recovery, or the penalty is accepted for any foul committed during the down, team R may choose the result of the play or take the ball at the spot of K2's first touching. In (b) and (c), the ball is dead when K4 recovers. Team R may choose to take the ball at the spot of first touching or at the spot of K4's recovery.

Touching by team R- Play 5: Fourth and 10 from team K's three yardline. K1 is in his own end zone when he punts. The kick is muffed by R2 at team K's eight yardline and rebounds into team K's end zone, where it is (a) recovered by prone K3, or (b) rolls out of bounds.

Ruling 5: It is a safety in (a) and (b). The force that put the ball into the end zone was the kick and the ball became dead in team K's end zone. Team R scores two points and team K free kicks from its own 20 yardline.

Free kick after fair catch- Play 5: As seen in MechaniGram L, team K's punt is in flight at team K's 35 yardline when K2 interferes with R1's opportunity to make the catch. The team R captain tells the referee his team chooses an awarded fair catch and enforcement of a 15-yard penalty from the spot of interference. Team R then wishes to put the ball in play via free kick (MechaniGram M).

Ruling 5: Legal option.

Illegal tee/Spot enhancement- Play 5: K1's attempted field goal is successful. However, the referee notices that the tee elevates the ball more than two inches above the ground. Earlier in the game, (a) team K's head coach, or (b) K1 was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Ruling 5: Team K is penalized 15 yards from the spot of the kick. Neither (a) the head coach, nor (b) K1 is disqualified. Penalties for using an illegal tee do not count toward a player or coach's disqualification.

Fouls against the snapper or punter- Play 6: R1 partially blocks K2's punt and R3 firmly contacts K2.

Ruling 6: By high school interpretation, if R3 was near the kicker at the time R1 touched the ball and R3 had already started his charge at the time the kick was touched, R3 has not fouled. One misconception that won't seem to go away is that a bad snap or a muff by the kicker eliminates roughing the kicker protection. Neither is true. Each play is judged on its own merits.

Kicking a loose ball- Play 6: Fourth and 10 for team K from its own 15 yardline. The snap is high and over punter K1's head. He chases the ball and kicks it over his own end line. When it is kicked, the ball is (a) at team K's four yardline, or (b) in team K's end zone.

Ruling 6: K1 is guilty of illegally kicking the ball in both cases. The spot of the foul is important. In (a) since the spot of the foul is in the field of play, team R may chooses enforcement from there. The penalty would be half the distance, yielding fourth and 23 from team K's two yardline. Declining the penalty would result in a safety. In (b), because the spot of the foul is in team K's end zone, team R would score a safety regardless if the penalty is accepted or declined.

Onside kicks- Play 6: As seen in MechaniGram D, K1 attempts an onside kick from his own 40 yardline. A team R player muffs the kick. The ball is then recovered by team K.

Ruling 6: Since team R was first to touch the kick, whether or not it traveled 10 yards and whether it was in flight or grounded, team K may legally recover the ball. The ball is dead when K3 recovers and it will be team K's ball at the spot of K3's recovery.

Fouls against the snapper or punter- Play 7: As seen in PlayPics J and K, the snap bounces to punter K1, who quickly recovers and kicks the ball. R2 contacts K1 and does not touch the kick.

Ruling 7: If the covering official rules it was not reasonably certain K1 was going to punt the ball, there is no foul. If the official believes R2 could have avoided contact, it is a foul. A poor snap does not give team R license to contact the kicker. Note that the contact by R2 in PlayPic K could still be considered a personal foul.

Onside kicks- Play 7: As seen in MechaniGram E, team K attempts an onside kick from its own 40 yardline. The ball is at team K's 48 yardline when K1 muffs the ball. The ball then rolls and deflects off R2's leg and K3 recovers.

Ruling 7: The touching by team R is ignored and team R will be awarded possession of the ball at the spot of first touching or at the dead-ball spot.

Onside kicks- Play 8: K1 attempts an onside kick from his own 40 yardline. The grounded ball is at team K's 47 yardline when R2 blocks K3. The contact causes K3 to recoil and the ball touches K3's leg. The ball is recovered by K4 at team R's 48 yardline.

Ruling 8: Because K3's contact with the ball was caused by R2's block, that touching is ignored. Since K4 recovered the ball after it had touched the ground and had traveled 10 yards, it will be team K's ball at the spot of recovery.

Fouls against the snapper or punter- Play 8: Fourth and three from team K's 17 yardline. Team K is in scrimmage-kick formation with K1 10 yards behind the line and in position to receive the snap. K2 is between his line and K1, serving as a "personal protector." The ball is snapped to K2, who advances to team K's 25 yardline before he is tackled. At the snap, R3 charges into snapper K4 before K4 can react.

Ruling 8: That is roughing the snapper. The key is that team K was in scrimmage-kick formation. Team K is not required to kick from that formation in order for the snapper to have protection. Team K will likely accept the automatic first down and the 15-yard penalty, which is enforced from the previous spot.

Blocking- Play 9: As seen in MechaniGram F, team K kicks off from its own 40 yardline. K2 blocks R1 from the front and above the waist when an onside kick is grounded at team K's 48 yardline.

Ruling 9: K2 has fouled. Team K players may not initiate contact (block) until the kick breaks the plane of team R's free-kick line and touches the ground, or a team R player touches the ball prior to the ball breaking the plane of team R's free-kick line, or a team R player initiates contact. If accepted, the 10-yard penalty is enforced from the previous spot.

Running into the kicker- Play 9: As seen in Play Pic M, K1 takes the snap and is preparing to punt. K2 blocks hard-charging R3, causing R3 to contact K1. K2's block is in R3's back (PlayPic N).

Ruling 9: Since R3's contact was unavoidable and caused by K2's block, his contact on the kicker is excused. However, K2 should be flagged for an illegal block in the back.

Free kick out of bounds

See Chapter 6, Penalty Enforcement, for information on free kicks out of bounds.

Kick before the ready

Team K may not kick the ball before the referee has given the ready-for-play signal. Should that occur, the officials should declare the ball dead and assess a five-yard penalty for delay of game.

Fouls against the kicker or holder

The kicker and holder receive protection from contact on free kicks. Neither may be blocked before he has advanced five yards beyond team K's free-kick line, or the kick has touched the ground or any other player. The 15-yard penalty for those fouls is enforced from the basic spot.