Hmmm..........what do you think?

[Ed Hickland]

Originally Posted by johnSandlin

This happened this past Friday back in my home area of Michigan.

Here is the situation:

Team A (home team) is trailing 25-22 with :57.1 to go in regulation. Team A does a pooch on side kick (according to the newspaper article). Team A recovers the ball.

However, Team B (visiting team and winning at the time) is given possession of the ball because the kick did not hit the ground.

Team A is miffed to say the least. According to the paper, the head referee (assuming the white hat) goes and gets his rulebook, brings out to the field, shows and explains the rule to Team A's coach.

Team A ends up losing 25-22.

Has anyone ever left the field or stopped the game for the purpose of getting the rulebook out? (talking high school, not weekend tournaments like baseball where rules are altered) t

I thought the only way you could conclusively apply 3-5-2c is with a rule book. Without a rule book it becomes coach versus referee, with the book all doubt is removed.

My crew toolbag has a rule and case book and the athletic association has in their handbook that we MUST have them available for consultation. Have only used it once and not for good reason.

As for the rule on kickoffs, 6-1-5 requires the kick to go 10 yards and it must touch the ground. Kickers are mastering the art of kicking downward so the ball touches the ground and then goes the requisite 10 yards as the two requirements can be in either order.