Kick off question

[just a fan]

Sorry for invading this official's site, but I would like to know the ruling on the following situation:

K tries an onside kick, and K1 is clearly beyond his free kick line when the ball is kicked. Official throws his flag. No whistle is sounded. R1 recovers the onside kick. Officials tell the R coach that K must rekick. K is penalized 5 yards and rekicks which K recovers. Is this the proper ruling? Sorry but I do not have access to a rule book. Thanks! I really enjoy reading this forum.

[MD Longhorn]

Sounds like you might not have all the information... but as posted, R was wrong in any ruleset.

[whitehat]

NFHS (High school). If the kicking team encroaches (That is, they cross the free kick line before the ball is kicked), then this should be blown dead just like a false start or encroachment on a scrimmage down. The foul is encroachment, 5 yard penalty and kick "again." The play as you described it never happened by rule as the ball was dead as soon as K encroached. Even though the officials did what was correct in the end, it would have saved a lot of trouble had they whistled it dead as soon as K encroached.

[just a fan]

Thank you. Glad it was done correctly in the end.

[jTheUmp]

NCAA: Kicking team being offside is a live-ball foul. Receiving team would have the option rekicking after a 5-yard penalty, or adding 5 yards on to the dead-ball spot.

Obviously, in an onside-kick situation where the receiving team recovered the kick, they would choose the later option.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by whitehat

NFHS (High school). If the kicking team encroaches (That is, they cross the free kick line before the ball is kicked), then this should be blown dead just like a false start or encroachment on a scrimmage down. The foul is encroachment, 5 yard penalty and kick "again." The play as you described it never happened by rule as the ball was dead as soon as K encroached. Even though the officials did what was correct in the end, it would have saved a lot of trouble had they whistled it dead as soon as K encroached.

This, exactly.