Kick Catch Interference

[Suudy]

Anybody watch the Auburn/South Carolina games last night?

Remember the short kick in the third quarter after Auburn scored? It looked to me like the ball never hit the ground, yet an Auburn player tried to catch it in the air. Doesn't a free kick have to hit the ground or be touched by R before it can be recovered by K, or it is illegal touching?

No flag on the play. Just wondering what the NCAA and NF rulings would be.

[Snake~eyes]

I was wondering the same thing - I thought it hit the ground but I'm not sure.

NF: If it doesn't hit the ground then it is definitely KCI.

[Kirby]

I didn't think it hit the ground either and was thinking it should have been KCI, but I'm not sure if the NCAA ruling would be the same as FED.

Definitley KCI in FED.

[JasonTX]

NCAA: Did the ball travel 10 yards prior to Team A touching it? If so it is legal as long as Team A didn't interfere with B's oppurtunity to catch it.

[Mike L]

Although I did not see this play in particular, I'd like to throw something out there to watch.
In our area we have a couple very accomplished kickers that have shown the ability to kick the ball directly into the ground off the tee and have it pop up just like a short pooch-type kick. For NF, somebody had better see that.

[RoyGardner]

I'm sure that the ball did not touch ground at the kick. Kicker gave the ball the "sand wedge" pooch and popped it up into the air. Looked like 3-4 Auburn players went 15 yds downfield in a "wall" formation and then let the ball drop behind them. Didn't see play from a good enough angle to see actual contact with SC but with the "wall" no SC players could get to where the ball actually landed.

Should be interesting to see this from more than 1 angle and in slo-mo to determine if there was actual contact and/or interference prior to ball hitting the ground.

[RoyGardner]

Here's quote from ESPN online:

"Then with the Gamecocks feeling good about holding Auburn out of the end zone, coach Tommy Tuberville took a page from Spurrier's book and stunned the Gamecocks with a perfectly executed onside kick. No South Carolina player was within 3 yards of the ball when it landed, and Jerraud Powers recovered for Auburn."

The Auburn "wall" that was "screening" the SC players had moved about 15 yds (+/- SC 45) downfield and the ball landed behind them at about the 48. If ball did not touch ground at the kick (and I don't believe it did) It would almost have to be KCI.

Has anyone seen this play from multiple angles and in slo-mo?

[DJ_NV]

NCAA: Regardless if it is a FK or SK in flight, as long as Team A does not violate 6-4-1 (Opportunity to catch a kick) then all you have is illegal touching, assuming the other parameters (travel 10 yards, etc.) are still required.

This is unlike NF where team K catching a FK (even if the closest R player is 40 yards away) is always KCI.

In NCAA, if a Team A player can somehow run down and catch a FK well beyond Team B's restraining line without violating 6-4-1, we've got 1/10 for A. (see 6-1-3-b)