In last nights game the following occured: Prior to a free kick, the kicker placed the ball on the ground next to the tee on his free kick line. He moved behind his free kick line and signaled the umpire that he was ready to kick. The referee blew the ready for play and the kicker went up to the ball and placed it on the tee.

I have two questions. Can the kicker move the ball and place it on the tee after the ready for play? Or is this a foul under rule 6-1-2? My answer is this is a dead ball foul for illegal procedure.

The kicker told the umpire that sometimes he will not place the ball on the tee and make an onside kick while the ball is lying on the ground. Is this a foul under rule 2-23-7? My answer is that he made a legal kick.

Thanks for your input on this! Two referees in our group appointed me to post these questions and get input prior to our Tuesday night meeting.

NCAA
 

No foul under NCAA rules. He can move it between the hashses as long as he still gets the kick off within the 25 seconds after the RFP whistle.

Last year, I had a play exactly like this and I looked it up last year on the NFHS site.

The ruling was that the kicker can indeed move/reposition the ball on a free-kick. The play did not make it back out to the site again and I am searching the casebook to see if it was added there but not having much luck.

Mike, under NF rules, the kicker can NOT move the ball once the spot of his free kick has been designated.
This play where the ball is lying next to or near the tee is the desinated spot once the RFP has been sounded and they are the same spot. He is not really moving the ball.

The kicker can run up, place the ball on the Tee or for that matter, take it off the tee and place is on the ground next to the tee. He just has to do this before the 25 second clock expires.

The case play last year is play #15. The NF says the "designated spot has not changed". They don't state how far away from the tee the ball is while it is lying on the ground. If it were me, the ball better be no further than a step away from the tee whichever what he decides to free kick it from.

Yes, the kicker can take the ball from the ground and place it on the tee or take from the tee and place it on the ground. The "designated spot" per interpretation play in 2001 (#15) says the spot of the free kick was not changed.
I'd give the kicker about one step in either direction as still being the designated spot. He just has to do all of this and kick the ball within 25 seconds.

A free kick definitions say how a place kick can be made and it can be made while the ball is fixed and lying on the ground.

Thanks guys!
 

I always know I can depend on you guys!

Just to let you know, I went back to the 2001 NFHS Football Interpretations and found Situation 15. Sounds like our situation was a legal play. I'll let the guys know and make them a copy of the 2001 interpretations.

It makes sense that he can't move it to another spot on his free kick line.


[Edited by mikesears on Aug 27th, 2002 at 08:19 AM]