Question About Declining A Penalty
 

Watching the Vandy/Tennessee game. Tennessee blocked a Vandy extra point, but Tennessee was offsides on the play. Vandy declined the penalty and re-kicked from the 3 (not sure why they didn't want to kick from the 1.5, but that's another discussion for another day). My question is this: If they declined the penalty, why were they allowed to re-kick?

You may accept the penalty but decline the yardage associated with the penalty. I’m certain that’s what occurred. The theory is that the angle of the kick is worse from the 1.5 than the 3.

And NCAA rules permit the team on offense the option of having the ball placed anywhere behind the 3 yard line if they choose it before the ready for play whistle. So if they wanted to adjust the angel even more or give their receivers more room to work, they could snap from any yard line behind the 3

Fed also allows adjustment between the inbound marks prior to the ready but not the yardline. Interesting difference I did not know about.

But if they wanted to kick on the try, wouldn't they place the ball on the mark in the middle of the field? That would eliminate kicking from an angle.

Most kickers are head cases anyway so who knows what they are thinking?

I hope AB will jump into this part of it. He's our resident kicking coach!

Canadian Ruling
 

CANADIAN RULING:

Team A gets to repeat the convert from the same spot and apply the 5 yards on the subsequent or induced KO, or move up half-the-distance on the convert, and if there isone, have the KO from the usual spot.

Also, why do you say that a player went "offsides". How can a player, who is an individual (ie. singular) be "offsides". Isn't a player "offside", rather? Why do you pluralize offside? I believe that it is incorrect grammar to do so.

Believe it or not, some teams prefer to spot the ball on the 10 yd. line chalk so they have a visual to make the length of the snap exactly what they want.

You learn something new every day. I didn't know that you could refuse the yardage but take the penalty. I guess I've never seen that happen before. Thanks guys.

is that true in NFHS as well?

absolutely.

What Mike said plus...I've had teams request the ball be placed on the hash to run a normal scrimmage play instead of kicking.

Are you saying that A could choose to play the Try from the 10-yard line if they wanted to?

Don't know about NCAA, but under the NFHS code, (NF: 8.3.1) "After a TD, the scoring team shall attempt a try during which the ball is snapped from a spot designated by A anywhere between the inbounds lines on B's 3 yard line unless moved by penalty.

NCAA:
8-3-2-c The snap will be midway between the inbounds lines on the opponent’s three-yard line or from any other point on or between the inbounds lines on or behind the opponent’s three-yard line if the position of the ball is selected by the team designated to put the ball in play before the ready-for-play signal

They can put it anywhere they want (if they ask the umpire nicely!)

In one game this season I had two roughing the kicker and one running into the kicker. The special teams coach asked (tounge in cheek) me if I use to be a kicker.

I understand how on a try Team A can have the ball put in play behind the 3.

But I can't find where in the NCAA rulebook it says you can accept a penalty but decline the accompanying yardage. Can you tell me where it is?

Thanks.

I should have been more clear - I based that on a NF rule 10-1-1. I should not have presumed the NCAA is the same.