Legal Bat ?

SCREF · #1 (**permalink**) Tue Jul 20, 2004, 10:58am

Is the following a legal bat in NFHS:

Following a safety, K's punt hits the ground at R's 30 and is bounding toward R's goal line. K2, in an attempt to prevent the ball from going into R's end zone, bats the ball backward toward K's goal line.
Thanks

ljudge · #2 (**permalink**) Tue Jul 20, 2004, 11:20am

I would say the bat is illegal because it's free kick and not a scrimmage kick. The exception applies to scrimmage kicks so I say it's illegal.

Jim S · #3 (**permalink**) Tue Jul 20, 2004, 01:27pm

It is illegal for the reasons that ljudge specified. ONLY scrimage kicks may be so batted. Grounded or in flight (if there is no R in position to make the catch).

rdfox · #4 (**permalink**) Tue Jul 20, 2004, 04:19pm

So, this penalty is during a loose-ball play and R would have the choice of taking the result of the play or a yardage penalty from the previous spot and require K to re-kick.

If this were a scrimmage kick instead of a free kick, there would be a first-touching beanbag on the ground rather than a flag...right, back judges? And then a second beanbag at the spot of the end of the kick...right again, back judges?

NF anyway.

Bob M. · #5 (**permalink**) Wed Jul 21, 2004, 09:46am

REPLY: I agree with ljudge, Jim, and rdfox on their assessment, but I think that K2 needs a swift kick in the rear and a dose of Rule 6. Why wouldn't he just recover the kick instead of batting it. Remember, it was a free kick and it was beyond the neutral zone.

jjrye22 · #6 (**permalink**) Thu Jul 22, 2004, 04:10am

> If this were a scrimmage kick instead of a free kick, there would be a first-touching beanbag on the ground rather than a flag...right, back judges? And then a second beanbag at the spot of the end of the kick...right again, back judges?

Just as a question... did you mean back judges as in BJ, SJ and FJ? Is that the mechanics for NF for a FK after a safety?
We line up like on a normal FK with R,LM and LJ deep (on a 6/7 crew).

James

Theisey · #7 (**permalink**) Thu Jul 22, 2004, 06:44am

He changed the play to be a scrimmage kick play so yes, he meant Back/Side/Field Judges which would be normal mechanics for a scrimmage kick.

Free kick mechanics for a FK after a safety are the same as for a FK after a TD. If you happen to be involved with that very rare, maybe once in lifetime FK after a fair catch (for NF only) it is basically the same too. The debate being which officials) is put under the goal post. Some use one, some say they use two. Regardless, both ways are correct.