Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Goodman
Whose momentum: the defender's or the kicker's? If the contact is caused in part by the kicker's own motion, no foul in Fed.
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NFHS 9-4-5 is VERY specific "A defensive player
SHALL NEITHER" run into nor rough a kicker, which places the
responsibility on the defensive player to avoid contact. The rule further provides 4 general categories of exceptions to that responsibility:
a. Contact is
UNAVOIDABLE because it is not reasonably certain that a kick will be made.
b. The
defense touches the kick near the kicker and contact is
UNAVOIDABLE
c. Contact is
slight and is partially caused by the movement of the kicker.
d.
Contact is caused by R being blocked into the kicker or holder by K.
The defense is forewarned and will be held responsible for contact with the kicker (exceptions included) and will suffer the consequences of doing so. The judgment of whether,
OR NOT,
any contact with the kicker is excused by the rule exceptions rests
EXCLUSIVELY with the covering official on
EACH INDIVIDUAL kicking situation. There is
NO "One size fits all" application