Free kick after a fair catch?

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by LDUB

You ruined it. The change will never work. A is probably hoping to kick a long field goal. If they foul and are penalized 10 or 15 yards it is likely that their kicker will not have a chance at making it. You can't force them to kick in that situation.

Why not? They're forced to snap in lots of long yardage situations, so what's the difference with forcing them to kick?

There are many fouls which could happen. Blocks below the waist, illegal substitution or participation, roughing the kicker/holder, free kick out of bounds...

That last one would be really bad aim if they're hoping to kick a long field goal, but I suppose it could happen if the kicker, realizing he needs to extend his range, really tries to kill the ball and shanks it badly. More likely to produce that, they've already been penalized once and are no longer trying for goal, and are trying to place the ball near a sideline.

[Theisey]

Originally Posted by LDUB

You ruined it. The change will never work. A is probably hoping to kick a long field goal. If they foul and are penalized 10 or 15 yards it is likely that their kicker will not have a chance at making it. You can't force them to kick in that situation.

There are many fouls which could happen. Blocks below the waist, illegal substitution or participation, roughing the kicker/holder, free kick out of bounds...

NO way.. every Utube video I've ever seen, the players are not even running down field, no one is blocking.. there all just standing around in amazement at what is happening. Illegal sub/participation.. again highly unlikely. The officials and teams take forever to line up, the officials will not even let the play go off without the requisite number of players out on the field. Excessive time wasted just getting everyone into position.

Free kick OOB.. Team-R's coach would never let team-K re-kick.. Why would they... Team-R now gets to keep the ball at one of two places.
I've anticipated every option I can think off before I said what I said in the post and nothing lights the bulb that says team-R would commit a foul on this play.. It would have to be one very stupid foul by Team-K on a successful kick that would result in an accepted foul and a re-kick. I can hear the sideline coaches now.. (NO Fouls!, don't hit anyone! etc(

It wouldn't bother me a bit if this free kick after a fair catch option was removed from the books. IMHO it should be removed.

[bisonpitcher]

I was on the chain gang for a HS game Friday, and we had a free kick near the end of the first half. 54 yards, plenty of distance, but just wide right (played on college uprights, probably good on HS). Also had a ton of measurements (including one where the white cap had to pull out the card). I haven't seen that in a long time.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Theisey

It wouldn't bother me a bit if this free kick after a fair catch option was removed from the books. IMHO it should be removed.

Fed has used that reason -- plays so rare their administration is uncertain -- to abolish some other plays, so this change would just be going with that flow. NCAA & Canadian football each abolished it; of course that was more than a half century ago, and accompanied by the complete abolition of the fair catch in both, with its restoration in NCAA the next season -- so it's not exactly a timely trend.

Would you consider an opposite remedy -- some change to make the play less rare, so players and officials would be more familiar with it? Like suppose a goal by free kick counted more than 3 points? Or that they could move the mark and restraining lines up to 10 yards closer to R's goal?

[bbcof83]

Originally Posted by bisonpitcher

I was on the chain gang for a HS game Friday, and we had a free kick near the end of the first half. 54 yards, plenty of distance, but just wide right (played on college uprights, probably good on HS). Also had a ton of measurements (including one where the white cap had to pull out the card). I haven't seen that in a long time.

Sorry, what does "pull out the card" mean? Use his scoring card to create a plane to check if the ball has made the LTG?

[Welpe]

I have to say, I'm a little disappointed now that I've moved, I won't ever get the chance (however slim) to officiate a free kick after fair catch.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Welpe

I have to say, I'm a little disappointed now that I've moved, I won't ever get the chance (however slim) to officiate a free kick after fair catch.

So referee some Rugby Union locally. Signal's arm toward kicking side, forearm bent straight up (elbow rt angle). Some use open hand, others fist.

[indyguy]

So if:
A field goal is scored as follows:
a. 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.
and if a punt is a legal form of "free kick" wouldn't a punt, after a fair catch, score 3 points if it went through the uprights?

[BAlaxer]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

The weird thing in the NFL is not being able to use a tee after a safety or a fair catch (free kick). It's most certainly not a rule in HS, although a coach wanted to argue this with me when a team chose to "kickoff" following a safety a few years ago.

I do think there is a rule where the scoring team is allowed to choose if they want to kick or recieve. Everyone just assumes they want to recieve and we never ask it.

[LDUB]

Originally Posted by indyguy

So if:
A field goal is scored as follows:
a. 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.
and if a punt is a legal form of "free kick" wouldn't a punt, after a fair catch, score 3 points if it went through the uprights?

No. It says right there only place kick or drop kick.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by BAlaxer

I do think there is a rule where the scoring team is allowed to choose if they want to kick or recieve. Everyone just assumes they want to recieve and we never ask it.

The rule is that the scored upon team will designate which team will kick off.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by indyguy

So if:
A field goal is scored as follows:
a. 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.
and if a punt is a legal form of "free kick" wouldn't a punt, after a fair catch, score 3 points if it went through the uprights?

The comma placement is misleading, and I could choose a better preposition and eliminate an article. It parses easier as, "a place kick or drop kick, from scrimmage or as a free kick following a fair catch or awarded fair catch." Because that's what they meant.

[BAlaxer]

Originally Posted by Welpe

The rule is that the scored upon team will designate which team will kick off.

Thank You

[Bullycon]

Originally Posted by indyguy

So if:
A field goal is scored as follows:
a. 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.
and if a punt is a legal form of "free kick" wouldn't a punt, after a fair catch, score 3 points if it went through the uprights?

6-1-2: A punt may not be used for a free kick other than after a safety.

Only a place kick or drop kick may be used for a free kick after a fair catch, so these rules are not in conflict.

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by Welpe

The rule is that the scored upon team will designate which team will kick off.

I'm confused. A safety occurs when Team A is tackled in its end zone. So team A is the scored upon team. If the scored upon team designates which team kicks off, why would they designate themselves?