We want to kick it

[jTheUmp]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

The NFL took away the choice of kicking off by a team that was scored against, but strangely enough they did that in two stages: first abolishing the choice after a touchdown, then some years later after any score. Maybe they thought it more likely a team would want to kick off after having 3 points scored against them. But as far as I know, the other major codes still allow it, and so it is in Canadian football.

NFHS still allows the team that was scored upon to decide who kicks off, but NCAA does not.

It's actually one of my favorite obscure rules to mention to non-officials. I used to also tell 'em about the "NFHS requires 7 on the LOS, but NCAA requires no more than 4 in the backs" rule difference... alas, NFHS changed that this year.

We actually asked a coach if he wanted to kick off after his team was scored on this year... late in the game, his team was just scored on to cut the lead to 50ish-6... his response was "get the f-ck out of here" (in a good-natured tone). We got a good laugh out of it when we saw him again a few weeks later.


But anyway, a former white hat of mine used to precede the coin toss by telling the captains "Whoever wins, the only options I will accept are 'receive' and 'defer'". Good preventative officiating, IMHO.