Kasay: Can a Kicker Re-set?

[Spence]

In the Carolina game last night on the last second FG attempt K Kasay started forward before the snap , stopped, then kicked after the snap.

Is this legal? Can certain positions re-set without penalty?

[Berkut]

Sure - as long as he does not false start, any player can re-set.

[OverAndBack]

If it "simulated action at the snap," could you flag it?

(Standard disclaimers about NFL rules vs. our rules, etc. etc. etc.)

[Sonofanump]

Originally Posted by Berkut

Sure - as long as he does not false start, any player can re-set.

Any back or end can shift.

[Berkut]

Originally Posted by Sonofanump

Any back or end can shift.

Any A player can shift, as long as they come to a complete stop for 1 second prior to the snap, and they have not placed their hands on or near the ground yet. I think for NCAA it is below the knees though. Actually, that isn't entirely accurate, as the rules say anyone can shift, but that a player with his hand at or near the ground will false start if they bring them up.

All 11 of them can go out, line up in a formation, then all 11 can shift to a new formation.

More commonly, the interior lineman can certainly shift from an "up" position to a down position, for example.

[bisonlj]

This brings up something I never thought of before. I didn't see the play but based on the description, there is no foul here. If he did that and stopped but another player started in motion within a second of him stopping, you would have an illegal motion penalty (not all players were set for 1 second before the player went in motion).

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).

[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.

[PackersFTW]

Originally Posted by bisonlj

This brings up something I never thought of before. I didn't see the play but based on the description, there is no foul here. If he did that and stopped but another player started in motion within a second of him stopping, you would have an illegal motion penalty (not all players were set for 1 second before the player went in motion).

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).

then how come i have seen 2 people in motion before? i saw it last week, and thought it was illegal, but apparently not. i also thought all players had to be set for 1 second before the snap, but apparently the motion guy is allowed to be moving the second before the snap (he could start 15 yards back and just sprint and the qb could time it so he snaps it right before he hits the LOS).

[With_Two_Flakes]

Originally Posted by bisonlj

If he did that and stopped but another player started in motion within a second of him stopping, you would have an illegal motion penalty (not all players were set for 1 second before the player went in motion).

Not sure I agree with you at least for NCAA Rules. Provided that Team A were set for 1 second before motion starts, then after one guys motion stops and another guys motion starts, provided their motions don't "overlap" there is no requirement for all of Team A to stop for "another" full second. There is an Approved Ruling in the NCAA Rule Book on the matter.

AR 7-1-4-IV
After the Team A players have stopped for one second, end A88 runs wide and stops, and before one second elapses, back A36 starts moving backward. RULING: Legal.

I can't find anything in the NFHS book that makes me think the Fed is any different to NCAA, but I'm no High School Rules expert, so happy to defer to the other side of the Pond on that one......