Free-kick for a field goal after a fair catch

[Bob Floyd]

Originally posted by Bill D
Our association modified the mechanics for this situation to put the officials who are most accustomed to calling field goals in position to do it. We put the BJ, LJ behind the uprights. L has K's restraining line and U has R's restraining line. Referee hands K the ball and administers the kick. Most situations involve either a successful kick, a kick dead in the end zone because it is unsuccessful or a kick short of the goal line that is live. BJ and FJ are accustomed to these situations and positions and are better able to react and cover than R and U. Besides our R was too nearsighted to trust with coverage (just joking)

Excellent post. Our association would use the same lineup should the occasion arise. Your rationale for this line-up makes sense. An earlier post cited the 2004-05 Manual when he stated the correct line-up. I must point out that the Officials Manual is recommended procedure and is not "gospel".

[chiefgil]

The recievers fair catch, or are awarded a FC.

Now being "A", they try a long pass downfield, time expires during the down. "B" is flagged for pass interference.

What happens then?

B is penalized 15 yards from the previous spot, automatic 1st down, and A can then elect to free kick.

[Theisey]

Yes, the NF permits a free kick at this point. The option remains if on the down following the FC there is an accepted penalty.

[CaUmpJW]

This happened in our area four years ago. With a school ahead by the score 14 to 13 and 40 seconds left in the game, they punted in which the other team fair caught the ball on the opponents 42 yard line. On the very first play,they ran the ball down to the 18 yard line at which the opposing team was called for a face mask foul during the tackle, The team accepted the penalty which was half the distance to the goal, the nine yard line. They elected to free kick since it is still first down after the fair catch. The kick was good and they won 16 to 13. The coach knew the rule. A sidepoint- the receiving team must be ten yards away except they can never line up in the end zone. They lined up on the goal line.

[Theisey]

Originally posted by CaUmpJW
A sidepoint- the receiving team must be ten yards away except they can never line up in the end zone. They lined up on the goal line.

### not any more.. that part of the rule was changed in 2002 to say free kick lines are always 10 yards apart, like it used to in 2000. Seems in 2001 someone did add those words about not extending into the EZ without much thought.

[SoGARef]

I had this happen when I was an umpire about 15 years ago in a JV game between Thomas County Central and Colquitt County in SW Georgia. TCC punter was backed up in his end zone to punt with a 1 point lead and 15 seconds left in the game. He kicked the ball in flight for about 15 yards. The HC at Colquitt at the time was Jim Hughes who happened to be one of the most well versed coaches on the rules I have ever seen. He had told all of his players to fair catch the ball under all circumstances. IF I remember correctly the ball was set up for a free kick on about the TCC 21-yard line in the middle of the field and the receiving team was lined up on the 11-yard line. The kicker kicked straight through the heart of the uprights. TCC got the ball back with a few seconds but could not do anything with it.