67 yard fair catch FG in CO
 

Video-Kip Smith Kicks High School Record 67-Yard Field Goal - YouTube | HS Football

Watch as an official. Nitpick away. The announcers are fair game, too.

Did the game clock really run when the ball was free kicked or was that just the TV clock? I see the officials are backwards with the R up with the kickers.

Not much to nitpick from an officiating standpoint that I can see. I am sure the alignment might be based on an area difference; I would not know that from just looking at the tap. Then again I have never been in that situation so I would not know.

Peace

Except the clock ran and was never corrected.

LDUB already mentioned the mechanics and the clock, the latter of which I hadn't noticed. Bad ECO!

The officials under the goalposts were... not under the goalposts. Moving to get a better angle on the crossbar? I've never seen that before.

What was the deal with the long break between the fair catch and the free kick? Did the visitors call timeout?

All in all, other than the clock, nothing horrible. I'm sure I look much worse most plays.

As for the announcers, not too bad. I caught two rule errors, and one nit-pick.

1) If an unsuccessful field goal attempt (i.e. a scrimmage kick) crosses the goal line, it is a touchback.
2) The fair catch free kick does not exist in college football.
3) "This is not, technically, a kick-off." Sure it is. Only, if the ball passes over the crossbar and through the uprights, it is a field goal, too.

This is my nitpick. The crew missed this. In this situation, they should be noting the time thinking that the ECO would run the clock. Most places I've been the ECO is not an official, just someone running the clock.

I had a second run off on a try last night and also had a clock operator not stop the clock after a kickoff return ended last Friday night. If you don't watch the clock, you can't put time back on.

The kicking team called a timeout before the free kick.

Did anyone notice the switching of the ball by the kicker...?

Ran the game ball off and brought in the team's "other" ball by the looks of things. Interesting.

Awesome kick regardless.

Well, it could be that they fair caught the other team's football. Regardless, as far as I'm concerned, they can use any ball for a free kick that's been checked in prior to the game.

I realize that Wikipedia is not a rules authority, but not being a football official it's the only reference I have. I bring this up because there have been several posts regarding the clock...

Snipped from Fair catch kick - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The fair catch kick has unique rules which distinguish it from other free kicks, such as kickoffs. Most significantly, it is the only variant in which the kicking team can score a field goal. Also, onside kicks are not permitted; the ball cannot be recovered by the kicking team unless first touched by the receiving team. In high school football, if the kicking team can recover or catch the ball beyond the receiving team's free-kick line before the ball becomes dead, they take possession of the ball. The clock starts when the ball is kicked. If the kick is unsuccessful, the rules are similar to that of a normal missed field goal: the opposing team has the option of fielding the ball and attempting a runback, or of taking possession at the spot of the kick.[1] A successful fair catch kick is followed by a normal kick off.

Several things are not correct.

Also, onside kicks are not permitted; the ball cannot be recovered by the kicking team unless first touched by the receiving team. (Yes, in the NFL) In high school football, if the kicking team can recover or catch the ball beyond the receiving team's free-kick line before the ball becomes dead, they take possession of the ball. (K catching a free kick is interference; they would not take possession of the ball) The clock starts when the ball is kicked. (Yes, in the NFL, NFHS the clock starts when the ball is touched other than first touching by K) If the kick is unsuccessful, the rules are similar to that of a normal missed field goal: the opposing team has the option of fielding the ball and attempting a runback, or of taking possession at the spot of the kick(only in the NFL).[1] A successful fair catch kick is followed by a normal kick off.

OK fair enough. it wouldn't be the first time WP is wrong

I am going to be honest, I did not watch that far into the tape. That would be a problem.

Peace

What I don't understand is why there were 2 successive free kicks? I understand the first one had the ability to score and the second one didn't. Does the Fed book state how to put the ball into play after such an attempt, or is it based solely on the fact that the play ended up being a field goal play?

The first one was a field goal. Kickoffs follow field goals.

"The field-goal attempt shall be a place kick or a drop kick from scrimmage,
or from a free kick following a fair catch, or an awarded fair catch."

The first sentence is wrong. Of course onsides kicks are permitted -- there's no difference between this and any other free kick.

I always chuckle when a team kicks off after a safety and someone yells that they're not allowed to use a tee. Another obscure NFL rule that someone thinks applies everywhere...