Kasay: Can a Kicker Re-set?

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by bisonlj

This makes me wonder though...if the kicker starts forward before the snap and is still moving forward at the snap, you technically have an illegal motion. I can't imagine anyone would ever flag that because he is not gaining any kind of an advantage (unless they run a fake and he's getting a head start on going downfield).

It's an advantage for the kicker by being able to get the kick off sooner and/or with more force, so sure it should be flagged.

[bossman72]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

It's an advantage for the kicker by being able to get the kick off sooner and/or with more force, so sure it should be flagged.

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


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.

[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.