The Kicking Game

1

• The Kicking Game

2
Mechanics - Free Kicks

• BJ with kicker hold him if on TV
• LJ with receiving team confirm count with BJ at
  hash
• HL on Rs 30 on chain side
• U on Rs 20 on press box side help R with
  fumble vs. muff
• R on intersection of goal line and chain side hash

3
Mechanics - Scrimmage Kicks

• R with kicker on kicking leg side
• U protecting snapper
• HL making sure kick crosses neutral zone
• LJ releasing on snap and watching blocks
• BJ on chain side watching receiver, touching,
  signal, interference, and marking PSK spot
• Whos under goal post on FG and Try?
• Out of bounds coverage

4
A kick is a kick until it is possessed

• A kick retains its status until it is possessed
  by a player, or when it becomes dead while not in
  player possession.

5
The kick is dead when

• It is not a scoring attempt and it breaks the
  plane of Rs goal line
• It is a grounded scoring attempt and it breaks
  the plane of Rs goal line
• It is a scoring attempt and first touches a K
  player in Rs end zone
• K first touches a motionless scrimmage kick
  beyond the neutral zone
• As soon as a R player catches or recovers
  following a valid or invalid fair catch signal

6
Free Kicks

• Once designated, K must kick from that spot
• Kicker and holder may encroach
• Fair catch can be made in the 10-yard neutral
  zone
• A punt may be used following a safety
• Kicker can not be hit unless he has advanced 5
  yards or the kick has touched the ground or a
  player

7
Free Kicks

• K can not advance a free kick
• The basic spot is the previous spot
• Can be used after a fair catch or an awarded fair
  catch this kick may score a FG

8
Scrimmage Kicks

• Formation 1 player 7 or more yards deep in a
  position to receive the snap
• An unsuccessful FG is treated as a punt
• Holder can rise to catch or recover then return
  to knee
• If holder muffs or fumbles the snap and his knees
  have come off the ground, the ball is dead if he
  returns to a knee.

9
Scrimmage Kicks

• The ball is treated as a fumble following an
  illegal kick
• Fair catch can only be made beyond the neutral
  zone
• K can catch, touch, bat, or muff a scrimmage kick
  in flight if no R is in position to make the
  catch
• K can advance a scrimmage kick if it is caught or
  recovered in or behind the neutral zone

10

• Play
• A scrimmage kick by K1 is partially blocked in
  the neutral zone by R1. The kick goes beyond the
  neutral zone where R2 muffs it back behind the
  neutral zone. K2 recovers the ball and advances
  across Rs goal line.

11

• Ruling
• Touchdown
• 6-2-3-Situation A

12
Fair Catch Signal

• Can be given by any R player
• Invalid not one arm above head OR made after it
  has touched ground or R
• 5 yards from PSK spot
• Illegal made after ball has been caught or
  recovered
• 5 yards from the end of the run

13
Fair Catch

• No R can advance a kick if any R has given a
  valid or invalid signal
• Signaler can not block

14
PSK

• Fouls are by R
• Does not apply to a try, successful FG, or in
  overtime
• Ball must cross the expanded neutral zone
• Foul must be beyond the expanded neutral zone
• Status of the ball is still a kick
• K does not have team possession at the end of the
  down
• R fouls behind the PSK spot are spot fouls

15
Interference

• Previous spot and 15
• OR
• Awarded fair catch at the spot of the foul

16
First Touching

• Touching by K prior to touching by R
• Free Kick in 10-yard neutral zone prior to
  crossing Rs restraining line
• Scrimmage Kick beyond the expanded neutral zone
  before ball has come to rest
• The right of R to take the ball at the spot of
  first touching is canceled if R touches the kick
  and thereafter during the down commits a foul OR
  if the penalty is accepted for any foul committed
  during the down.

17

• Play
• The ball is free kicked from the K-40 and in
  flight it crosses the 50 where a strong wind
  blows it back to Ks 45 where it is touched in
  flight by K1.

18

• Ruling
• Kick catching interference by K1, but not first
  touching
• 6-1-6-Situation B

19
Momentum Exception

• Happens during a change of possession when a
  players momentum carries him into his own end
  zone and the ball is declared dead there in his
  teams possession
• Possession must be gained inside his 5 yard line
• Ball must be carried into the end zone
• Succeeding spot will be the spot where possession
  changed

20

• Play
• B1 intercepts a pass on the B-4 with his momentum
  taking him toward his goal line. B1 is hit by A23
  at the 2 yard line and the ball rolls into the
  end zone where it is recovered by B27 where he is
  downed.

21

• Ruling
• Safety 8-5-2-Situation E

22
Force

• 1 direction from field of play into end zone
• Responsibility is charged to the player who
  supplied the force
• Ball must be grounded before a new force can be
  added
• Not a factor on kicks going into Rs end zone
  since these kicks are ALWAYS a touchback
  regardless of who supplied the force

23

• Play
• K1 kicks off by free kick. The ball is rolling
  on the R-7 when receiver R12 muffs the ball.
  Seeing that he can not recover the ball, he kicks
  it through his end zone.

24

• Ruling
• The result of the play is a touchback, however K
  will most likely accept the 15 yard penalty from
  the previous spot.

25
Reminders

• The clock starts on the snap if either team is
  awarded a new series following a legal kick.
• Forced touching is no touching.
• Roughing the snapper, kicker, or holder carry an
  automatic first down.
• Clean Hands applies to PSK double fouls if all R
  fouls are PSK fouls