Field goal on free kick?

[7Rock]

I read somewhere that a high school kicker kicked a 60+ yard FG to set a State record. It was noted that this was done on a free kick.
Is it ever legal to attempt a FG on a free kick?

[Bill D]

After a fair catch or an awarded fair catch, the ball may be put in play by a free kick. A field goal may be scored off this free kick. Many years ago, it was legal to score on the free kick after a safety, but the rule was changed.

[7Rock]

Do you have to use a holder or can it be done using a kickoff tee?

Is a regular kickoff considered a free kick?
Many times after a roughing the kicker penalty on a PAT, the kicking team has the ball close enough where a kicker with a strong leg could put it through the uprights.
Can you score a FG on this play or is it just a touchback?
Thanks

[mikesears]

Originally posted by 7Rock
Do you have to use a holder or can it be done using a kickoff tee?

Either way. This is called a place kick. The ball is placed on a tee or held and controlled on the ground or tree (I'd like to see that) umm, tee by another player.

They could also score points by successfully putting a drop kick through the uprights. A drop kick is when a player releases the ball and then kicks it as the ball touches the ground or after the ball touches the ground and begins its bounce upward.

Originally posted by 7Rock
Is a regular kickoff considered a free kick?[/B]

Yes a kickoff is a type of free kick, but you can't score points on a kickoff. In order to score points on a free kick, it must follow a fair catch or awarded fair catch.

Originally posted by 7Rock
Many times after a roughing the kicker penalty on a PAT, the kicking team has the ball close enough where a kicker with a strong leg could put it through the uprights.
Can you score a FG on this play or is it just a touchback?
Thanks [/B]

This is just a touchback. No points for booting a kickoff through the uprights.

[Edited by mikesears on Oct 8th, 2002 at 12:24 PM]

[JimNayzium]

just for the record, thought yall might like a little trivia on old JimNayzium, I tried two 66 yard free kicks my senior year in high school but missed both, but did make a state recored 61 yard field goal from a normal scrimmage kick....haha

this is true i promise,

someone in my state has made a 63 yard free kick and i keep trying to get the association to recognize the difference in a free kick and a field goal as far as the records are concerned...a free kick is with no rush...so easy....oh well....

[FBFAN]

Can someone clear this up for me?

What is an awarded fair catch? Can someone give me an example?

Also, after a team attempts a free kick, what happens if it's, a) good. b) no good and ball goes out of bounds or out of endzone. c) no good and return/block team recovers it.

Thanks in advance.

[Huskerblue]

A team may choose to take an awarded fair catch if the kicking team is guilty of kick catching interference. Thereceiving teams other option would be to accept the yardage for kick catching interference which is 15 yards. If the take the AFC, they can put the ball in play by snap or by free kick. If they would choose the free kick option, if it is from a tee or by a placekick and they kick it between their uprights, score three points.

[mikesears]

Originally posted by FBFAN
Can someone clear this up for me?

What is an awarded fair catch? Can someone give me an example?

An awarded fair catch is only awarded to a team if the kicking team commits kick catching interference. If the kicking team commits kick catching interference, the receiving team may opt to:

1. Take an awarded fair catch at the spot of the kick catching interference.

2. Force K to replay the down (usually 4th down) 15 yards from previous spot.

3. Decline the penalty and take the results of the play. (Maybe the R team scored a touchdown)

Originally posted by FBFAN
Also, after a team attempts a free kick, what happens if it's, a) good.

Assuming this is after a fair catch or awarded fair catch, the kicking team scores 3 points for a successful field goal and they will kick off (like they would after a successful field goal attempt from scrimmage).

If it is a kick after a safety or a kickoff, this is nothing more than a touchback and the R team gets the ball at the R-20.

Originally posted by FBFAN
b) no good and ball goes out of bounds . . .

No matter WHAT type of free kick it was, if it goes out of bounds between the goal lines (i.e on the field of play) it is treated just as if it was a kickoff. If R touched the ball before going out of bounds, R takes it where it went out-of-bounds. If R did not touch it, they can

1. Penalize K 5 yards and replay the down.

2. Take the ball where it went out of bounds.

3. Take the ball 25 yards beyond the spot where K kicked the ball.

Originally posted by FBFAN
. . . or out of endzone.

Touchback once it crosses the plane of the goal line (if kick after fair catch/awarded fair catch is not good).

Originally posted by FBFAN
c) no good and return/block team recovers it.

Highly unlikely a block will occur or that R will WANT to block it. Everything about a free kick after a fair catch or awarded fair catch is just the same as a kickoff except (ususally) the spot of the kick and that the kick can score 3 points if it goes through the uprights. It is a live ball so R had better recover the kick.

Originally posted by FBFAN
Thanks in advance.

Chances are that you will probably never see this happen. But if you do, just remember that the rules are just the same as they are for a kickoff. The only exception is that that kicking team gets 3 points for successfully placing it through the uprights and spot from where the kick takes place might be different.