LSU - Florida Punt Return

[Patton]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

So the BJ gives them the ball, and then assumes a position where? Seems you should have all the other officials in position first, and then it's just a matter of whichever official gives them the ball getting into position, which almost always would take less time than the kicking team would need to place the ball & kick it, which would be the most common manner of free kick. Do you save much time by having the officials and the players get ready at the same time?

Robert

This year's mechanics have the BJ check that the other 3 officials in the box (U, SJ and FJ) are ready prior to handing the ball to the kicker. After he gives the ball to the kicker, the BJ runs off to the sideline. The referee blows the ready as soon as the BJ is in position.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Patton

This year's mechanics have the BJ check that the other 3 officials in the box (U, SJ and FJ) are ready prior to handing the ball to the kicker. After he gives the ball to the kicker, the BJ runs off to the sideline. The referee blows the ready as soon as the BJ is in position.

What official is to be stationed closest to the center of K's restraining line? If the answer is a sideline official, then I understand the problem.

Does nobody have a view from behind the ball as it's kicked? I'm sure you've discussed free kick coverage, but if I had 5 officials I'd probably place one on the sideline at K's restraining line, 2 at R's, one in the middle of the field behind K, and one deep. If I had 6 I'd put the most athletic at middle depth in the middle.

Robert

[Patton]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

What official is to be stationed closest to the center of K's restraining line? If the answer is a sideline official, then I understand the problem.

Does nobody have a view from behind the ball as it's kicked? I'm sure you've discussed free kick coverage, but if I had 5 officials I'd probably place one on the sideline at K's restraining line, 2 at R's, one in the middle of the field behind K, and one deep. If I had 6 I'd put the most athletic at middle depth in the middle.

Robert

They took the U out of the center of the field this year. So you have the BJ and U on the sideline on K's restraining line. The FJ and SJ are on the sideline on R's restraining line. The LJ and HL are at the pylons and the referee is on the goal line in the center of the field.

[inigo montoya]

Originally Posted by JasonTX

That may be true, but also keep in mind that the NFL and NCAA have hundreds of differences in the rules. I can't verify the NFL rule nor can I comment on this play since I didn't see it. Here is a play situation from the NCAA rules.

IV. Airborne B17 has leaped from inbounds and is the first player to
touch Team A’s free kick when he receives the ball. He subsequently
lands out of bounds with the ball in his possession. RULING: Foul,
free kick out of bounds. Team B has these options: it may accept a
five-yard penalty at the previous spot with Team A re-kicking; snap
the ball at its 40-yard line at the inbounds spot (assuming the free
kick was from the 30-yard line); or snap the ball at the inbounds spot
five yards from where the ball crossed the sideline.

Thanks. I know there are a lot of differences and that's why I was asking if the rule was different. As far as football, I am an observer only - but as a basketball official I do give an awful lot of the benefit of the doubt to officials calling any sport. I couldn't buy the broadcasters' argument that the returner in this case may have been out of bounds when he caught it because I thought even on my standard def TV that it the sequence was clear he had one foot in bounds, then his 2nd foot came down out of bounds. Based on the quoted rule, it sounds like the right call was made.

[GPC2]

Is the NFHS ruling the same as the NCAA ruling on this type of play? Unfortunately, I don't have my rule book and case book with me.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Patton

They took the U out of the center of the field this year. So you have the BJ and U on the sideline on K's restraining line. The FJ and SJ are on the sideline on R's restraining line. The LJ and HL are at the pylons and the referee is on the goal line in the center of the field.

Thanks. Doesn't seem to me you'd need 2 sideline views of K's line.

[Patton]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

Thanks. Doesn't seem to me you'd need 2 sideline views of K's line.

I believe this all stems from the Oklahoma/Oregon game a couple years back. The onside mechanics are very interesting as well. Everyone keeps their same postion except the LJ and HL who move up to the K35 between K and R's restraining lines (6 in the box).

[grantsrc]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

Thanks. Doesn't seem to me you'd need 2 sideline views of K's line.

Originally Posted by Patton

I believe this all stems from the Oklahoma/Oregon game a couple years back. The onside mechanics are very interesting as well. Everyone keeps their same postion except the LJ and HL who move up to the K35 between K and R's restraining lines (6 in the box).

Some NCAA conferences have gone the way of the NFL and have 6 guys up on onside kicks. The off guy on K's line watches the number of players on each side of the kicker while the other guy watches the other K players. The 2 guys in the middle watch for early blocks and illegal touching, and the guys on R's line watches for illegal touching, blocks, and recovery.

The NCAA recently changed their rules on free kick plays. In the past, the location of the ball didn't matter. If the player was stradling the sideline or touching the sideline, it was ruled that the kick went OOB. The rule changed last year or the year before although I do not know how it is handled now.

In NFHS, the location of the ball matters. If the ball is airborne over OOB and the player touches it is OOB, the kick is what caused the ball to be OOB. I am not sure I like this case play but 6.1.8c covers this scenario. If the player is on the sideline and the ball was still in the field of play, the R player cause the kick OOB so no foul.

[TXMike]

The NCAA rule on KO OOB has not changed All that changed was an Approved Ruling and even that AR is very limited However, there are many, who are much wiser than I who are confounded by the AR change as it creates a new status of player, i.e. neither inbounds nor out of bounds, that never existed before.

As far as catching a kick while straddling a sideline, 1 foot in and 1 foot out, that has been, and still is, a kick OOB.