onside kick question

[ase]

hi, while i am watching NFL today, i have questions about onside kick.

what is an onside kick? I meant what has to happen to have an onside kick?

normally, you kick the ball in the air, following happen (1)recevnig team catch it in the air (2)the ball hit the ground, receving team get the ball(3)the bal hit the ground, kicking team get/down the ball(receving team still has the possession)

in onside play, as long as the ball go more than 10 yards, even before receving team touch the ball, kicking team can try to get the ball and get the possession of the ball? am i right?

thanks a lot

[Snake~eyes]

If the ball goes 10 yards it is a live ball, anyone can get it. But I believe the ball has to hit the ground before the kicking team can recover or you would have kick catching interference. That's why you see on most onside kicks they kick it at the top of the ball, making it hit the ground a foot after the tee then going in the air.

[ase]

Originally posted by Snake~eyes
If the ball goes 10 yards it is a live ball, anyone can get it

anyone can get it? so a kicker kick the ball in the air to receving team's 10 yards line, if receving team's player did not catch the ball, kicking team player can catch the ball and it is kicking team's ball(possession) again?

i thought if the kicking catch the ball, receving team start their offence at the spot where kicking team down/catch the ball?

thanks again

[Rich]

Ase,

That is on a scrimmage kick -- usually a punt.

A kickoff or a kick after a safety is referred to as a free kick -- once it goes 10 yards and hits the ground (in either order) it's free game.

Rich

[ase]

Originally posted by Rich Fronheiser
Ase,

That is on a scrimmage kick -- usually a punt.

A kickoff or a kick after a safety is referred to as a free kick -- once it goes 10 yards and hits the ground (in either order) it's free game.

Rich

thanks for replying

so a normal kickoff (after the kicking just score a TD or filed goal) goes more than 10 yards, and go to receving team's 15 yard line, it is a free ball meaning if the kicking team player beat receving team player to the ball,it is kicking team's possession.

in NFL, after a kick off, i saw receving team player sometime wave his arm to signal fair catch or pretent to catch the ball then quickly get out of the way and let the ball hit the ground. even kicking team down the ball, receving team still has the possession, or the play i just describe apply to punt?

[ABoselli]

On a free kick (see above), K can possess it after it has gone ten yards, but they cannot advance it - it is dead where they possess it and they would go on offense at that spot. The ball has to have touched the ground, though, otherwise it would be kick catch interference. They can't touch it or catch it while it is still in the air.

To answer the NFL part of your question, yes, the receivers still get it. As long as one of the receivers doesn't touch it (once they do, its a fee ball and whoever possesses it after the touching by R would get the ball) R would put the ball in play 1st and 10.



[Edited by ABoselli on Oct 21st, 2003 at 07:51 AM]

[ase]

i am more confuse now. sorry guys

what is the difference between the following two situation

(1) normal kickoff (kicking team just score TD or FG) or free kick, kicker kick it in the air and ball hit the ground on receving side's 15 yard, kicking team down the ball. Result: receving team's possession

(2) normal kickoff (kicking team just score TD or FG) or free kick, kicker kick it short for 15 yards, hit the ground, kicking team down the ball. Result: kicking team's possession

the result are different, but they all kick more than 10 yards and all hit the ground, so what i really want to ask is this in what situation do you apply rule 2 and call it onside kick, and in what situation do you apply rule 1?

thanks again, sorry for being so dumb

[AndrewMcCarthy]

what is the difference between the following two situation

(1) normal kickoff (kicking team just score TD or FG) or free kick, kicker kick it in the air and ball hit the ground on receving side's 15 yard, kicking team down the ball. Result: receving team's possession

This wouldn't happen during a free kick (kickoff). This situation describes what might happen during a scrimmage kick (punt on 4th down, for example).

(2) normal kickoff (kicking team just score TD or FG) or free kick, kicker kick it short for 15 yards, hit the ground, kicking team down the ball. Result: kicking team's possession

This is a free-kick situation (kickoff- usually off a tee). The kicking team can recover the ball but not advance it. They'll have first down and 10.

[Bob M.]

Originally posted by ase
i am more confuse now. sorry guys

what is the difference between the following two situation

(1) normal kickoff (kicking team just score TD or FG) or free kick, kicker kick it in the air and ball hit the ground on receving side's 15 yard, kicking team down the ball. Result: receving team's possession

(2) normal kickoff (kicking team just score TD or FG) or free kick, kicker kick it short for 15 yards, hit the ground, kicking team down the ball. Result: kicking team's possession

the result are different, but they all kick more than 10 yards and all hit the ground, so what i really want to ask is this in what situation do you apply rule 2 and call it onside kick, and in what situation do you apply rule 1?

thanks again, sorry for being so dumb

REPLY: Let's try to get this straightened out for you. In both of the situations you describe, the kickers can recover the ball and retain (get) possession. Situation #1 is much more likely to occur and is what people typically refer to as an "onside kick." Situation #2 is less likely to occur because the ball is kicked deep where the receivers are much much more likely to get to it first. Since they are aware it's a "free" ball, they will not just let the kickers come down and recover it. They'll pick it up and return it. The situation you described earlier where the receiver is waving his teammates away from a bouncing kick was most likely a scrimmage kick (a punt) where there's no such thing as a "free" ball--unless the receivers touch the kick first.

[ase]

i get it now, thanks so so much.