Gentlemen,

K punts from their own 20, ball rolling at K's 35 when R2 blocks K3 in the back at K's 45. K5 downs the ball at K's 40. If K accepts the penalty, PSK applies, and the penalty is enforced from the spot of the foul, since that spot is behind the PSK spot (end of kick). The result is first and 10 for R at R's 45, correct?

The NFHS Preseason football guide shows R getting the ball at the 50, not R's 45. The '03 guide showed a similar caseplay with the same result. Am I missing something or did the guide have the same typo 2 years in a row? Help please!

2nd year Umpire

Sounds like a typo to me. Block in the back is 10-yards and you're correct on the enforcement spot from what I can see....unless I'm missing something too!

PSK makes my eyes glaze over.

I hope to God someone else on the crew understands it.

PSK
 

Thanks for your input, at least I'm not nuts (yet). I concurr about PSK over the last two years. I have yet to brush up on my positioning and mechanics this year 'cause I've been going crosseyed over the PSK changes.

Ump

I find PSK to be easier in that there is a smaller window in which there is a replay as in the old rule. Most of the time now, R will keep the ball.

The point behind PSK is that the down is going to take place under the idea that the kicking team is giving the ball up, and they will unless R fouls horribly at the line. This year the criteria has been simplified: any foul by R that is downfield will still result in them keeping the ball. PSK enforcement starts with the snap (rather than when the ball clears the neutral zone expanded). Any foul downfield by R will be enforced from the end of the kick, or further back if the foul occurred behind the end of the kick.

I may have over-simplified it, but I think I hit the basic ideas of PSK. If it's your first year doing football, don't worry too much, just figure out what you should watch for on a punt and do that. Let your referee figure out the rest. ;o)

-Craig