illegal kick?

[todd self]

This situation happened to us last night in a JV game.

K lines up for a kick try. The snap and hold are good, but the kicker gets in a hurry and actually kicks the ball from the holder's hand before it is laid on the tee. Amazingly, the kick was good. Is this an illegal kick?

Todd

[Huskerblue]

I would say this is an illegal kick. The only way a point or points can be scored from a scrimmage kick is by drop kick or place kick. Since the ball wasn't "placed" on the tee, you don't have a place kick. Therefore, illegal kick.

[BktBallRef]

Call the obvious Todd. There's no point in wiping off such a score. It was snapped, the holder caught it, the kicker kicked it, and amazingly, it went through. I wouldn't flag it.

[Huskerblue]

I disagree BktBallRef. It states in the rule book that the only way points can be scored on a try is by place kick, drop kick, or by run or pass. Definition of a place kick, and this is not verbatim, but the ball must be held in a fixed position "on the ground" or on a kicking tee. The ball was not held in a fixed position on the ground or on a kicking tee, therefore there is an illegal kick, so penalize 5 yards from the where the illegal kick occurred and retry.

[BktBallRef]

I didn't say your rule reference or interpretation were incorrect, I just said I wouldn't flag it. I'd be willing to bet a game fee that no one else in the stadium saww the play except the referee. Did the kicker really gain an advantage by kicking the ball before it was placed? I don't think so. Call the obvious.

This is similiar to a situation I had last night, where a tackle was lined up further off of the line than he should have been. The opposing coaches kept complaining that he was too far off the line. I pointed out that:

1- He was actually placing himself at a disadvantage when he blocked on a running play, which is all they ran
2- That if they wanted to get real picky on formations that their slot man was covering up their tightend most of the night and
3- That I would be glad to ask the young man to move close to the LOS if it would make them happy.

Every simple little foul doesn't have to be penalized. Use common sense.

[Huskerblue]

But this is a scoring play. One point may be a matter of a win or a loss. And if one point decides whether or not a team makes the playoffs, sorry, I am going to flag it and make the team earn that point legally.

[Larry Gonski]

This is a JV game, let it go. In a Varsity playoff game, yes. Use common sense and you might inform the offensive coach that his kicker is out of tune.