Kick - Legal or illegal?

[Ed Hickland]

Originally Posted by mcrowder

But don't you have a 15-yard penalty from the spot of the kick ... a penalty that will likely be declined and the safety (result of the play) accepted?

Correct or in this case a half the distance.

The question came up do you give the option or simply award a safety?

[MJT]

Originally Posted by Ed Hickland

Correct or in this case a half the distance.

The question came up do you give the option or simply award a safety?

I am going to tell the B captain this. "Right now, you have a safety. You will get 2 pts and they will kick off to you from their 20. If, for some reason you choose to take the penalty for an illegal kick, it will not be a safety, and it will be 4th-38 at their 5 yard line. So do you want to take the safety?

[Texas Aggie]

NCAA: the penalty for an illegal kick is both 15 yards AND a loss of down. Either safety if penalty is declined, or ball at 5, first and goal for the original receiving team. Thus, the smart thing would be to accept the penalty, unless for time remaining or other strange reasons, the safety is just as good as a touchdown.

[MJT]

I like the NCAA rule. In a college game last year the following play happened.
K 4-? from about the 20. Ball snapped over punters had and he chases the bouncing ball back towards the goal line. He catches up to the ball at the 3 and kicks it as it is rolling out the back of the EZ. Cuz of the LOD, B gets the ball 1-goal at the 1.5 yard line, score and end up winning the game by 4 points.

[Texas Aggie]

Now, the tricky question: what's the mechanic? As an R, are you going to go back to the end zone and signal safety initially?

[BoomerSooner]

I would say that you would initially signal safety. I think this is no different than giving the TD signal on a run that ends up being called back on a holding call. Additionally, I think that in about 99% of the situations that result in the offended team having options the options should be given. This one included. What if the B is down be 6 points...the safety and even a free kick FG attempt following the succeding kick-off doesn't cut the difference so B may be sold out to trying to block the kick (This example obviously highlights that fact that there is little time on the clock and that A should have been trying to take a legal safety in the first place, but does show the importance of giving choices.).

[MJT]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

Now, the tricky question: what's the mechanic? As an R, are you going to go back to the end zone and signal safety initially?

Doubtful you will be on the goal line when the play happens. You do not have to get to the goal line, turn and signal safety. You would be between the 10 yard line and the goal line I'd hope, and from there you turn and signal safety. You call B captain over and tell him his options.