Kasay: Can a Kicker Re-set?

[OverAndBack]

Originally Posted by PackersFTW

correct. i saw them both move a few seconds before the snap, but one of them set before the snap.

Then that's a shift, not motion.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by bossman72

No. This commonly happens when the kicker expects the ball to be snapped and the snapper doesn't snap the ball right away... So the kicker "stutter steps" forward (like Kasay did) in anticipation of the late snap. It's actually a DISadvantage

It's a disadvantage to do it by accident. It would be an advantage to start forward early on purpose if they timed it right. I'm not saying it would be easy, or they would do so routinely in Canadian football, where I haven't seen it, but I still think it's enough of a potential advantage that it should be flagged.

But yes, I've seen this happen a couple times in my lifetime where the kicker "stutters" before he starts. I always wondered if this was illegal/forward motion or a false start... but it was never called.

I don't know why officials wouldn't flag a kicker's illegal motion as easily as other cases of a back's unintentionally beating the count. However, if the "stutter" was a step forward, then a step backward, it's not illegal motion because the back was not moving forward when the snap began. It could be seen as simulating the start of play, and several months ago here there was a thread on whether to call a false start when a back accidentally starts early.

Robert

[Bob M.]

REPLY: Technically, I believe that what Kasay did was a false start, but he certainly put himself at a disadvantage by doing so.

[PackersFTW]

Originally Posted by PSU213

They both should have reset and then one of them (or another back/end) could have gone in motion after a second--although in the NFL they seem to take liberty with the "one second." I'm not sure exactly how it is written in NFL rules, but it seems guys are often sent for less than a second before a snap, and it is deemed legal.

agreed.

[PackersFTW]

no, it was about a full second before the snap, but if you think about it, it only puts him at a disadvantage. it's not like the defense will see him move and jump offsides like they would a lineman. the last thing you said is key.