Kick Catch Interference

[mikesears]

Originally Posted by insatty

Even under NFHS rules, K may not touch the ball or R "while the kick is in flight." A kick ends when R gains "possession" of the ball. Player "possession" is defined as the player "holding or controlling" the ball.

Thus, K may not touch R until R holds or controls the ball. For consistency and safety, NFHS officials should officiate KCI as NCAA officials do. A defenseless R should not be clocked until he has the chance to touch, secure, and then control the ball. Only then may R protect himself from oncoming tacklers.

As the NCAA rule expresses, when in doubt it is KCI.

You forgot the rest of the rule.

This prohibition applies even when no fair-catch signal is given, but it does not apply after a free kick has been touched by a receiver, or after a scrimmage kick has been touched by a receiver who was clearly beyond the neutral zone at the time of touching.

So touching the ball removes the restriction.


Here is another problem with simply saying that K cannot touch R while the ball is in flight.

R signals for a fair catch. R muffs the attempt to catch the kick into the air. K contacts him to possess the ball. Your reading would call this KCI. Casebook play 6.5.6E says this is legal.