Opening Kickoff

[HawkeyeCubP]

Originally Posted by Indy_Stu

Thanks for posting. This was posed by our association as our "Play of the Day" and the answer that was given, well I disagree with.

My answer:
First, any time K catches or recovers a free kick the ball becomes dead. The officials in the given scenario let K45 run, but they should have stopped the action. Secondly, I am going with K’s ball on the R’s 45 yard line going in. I rule this way because 6-1-5 says K keeps the ball if he catches or recovers a free kick, provided he hasn’t fouled or first touched. Since R “scattered” they were not in a position to catch the kick - - no kick catching interference, no awarded fair catch. The ball was past the 10-yard free kick line - - no first touching, no R ball. See pp. 49-50 6-1-5 and 6-1-6.

Association answer:
Where? 1st & 10 from the R-45
Whose ball? Receiver's ball
6-1-5 (p.49)
If any kicker recovers or catches a free kick, the ball becomes dead.
Since the ball was not grounded nor touched by any member of the kicking team, the receivers will have possession 1st & 10.

I disagree because of rule 6-1-5 and the definition of first touching, 2-12-1 on p.26. The definition of first touching on a free kick is in the field of play before the ball has crossed R's free kick line, so I believe K has legally recovered and can keep the ball.

MJT's got it right, as usual. The 6-5-6-exception only applies to scrimmage kicks, therefore no R player being in a position to catch the ball is irrelevant.

This is kick-catching interference, and is explained in 6-5-6-a (emphasis added by me) : "While any free kick is in flight in or beyond the neutral zone to the receiver's goal line or any scrimmage kick is in flight beyond the neutral zone to the receiver's goal line, K shall not: a. Touch the ball or R, unless blocked into the ball or R, or to ward off a blocker, or b. Obstruct R's path to the ball. Penalty: Kick-catching interference (Art. 6) - (S33) - 15 yards. For interference, R may accept a 15-yard penalty from the previous spot and a replay of the down or choose to accept the penalty of an awarded fair catch at the spot of the foul."

[Indy_Stu]

All, thanks for the posts. I have been re-educated on the subject of officiating the free kick. I now agree that 6-5-6 indicates that K has committed Kick Catching Interference in the situation I provided. K cannot be the first to touch/catch a free kick in flight.

A scenario that I can envision that has K "catching" a free kick (the concept in 6-1-5 that misled me) and it belonging to him:
1) R has first muffed the catch of a free kick - - ball hits pads/arms/other and bounces back into the air
2) Opportunistic K then "catches" the still-airborne ball. He does so without committing KCI, and did not commit first touching
3) 1st & 10 for K - - lucky dog!

Thanks guys, rules discussions like these are great.

[Ed Hickland]

Before every kickoff I say this mantra,

"It must go 10 yards and it must touch the ground."

[voiceoflg]

Originally Posted by Ed Hickland

Before every kickoff I say this mantra,

"It must go 10 yards and it must touch the ground."

Though I have seen one exception to your quote. 2004 quarterfinals the kicker kicked the ball squarely at the up man in front of him. The ball went off the up man's facemask and went straight up. The kicking team recovered the ball in the air and was awarded possession.

Here's the video. It is about 50 seconds into the video. Check out the TD play before it, around 38 seconds in.

[Bob M.]

Originally Posted by voiceoflg

Though I have seen one exception to your quote. 2004 quarterfinals the kicker kicked the ball squarely at the up man in front of him. The ball went off the up man's facemask and went straight up. The kicking team recovered the ball in the air and was awarded possession.

Here's the video. It is about 50 seconds into the video. Check out the TD play before it, around 38 seconds in.

REPLY: Great fake by the QB on the TD play!

[Theisey]

OH crap..
I kicked this one.. I gave you an NCAA result, sorry. You clearly used the designators K and R rather than A and B. My fault!