Has anyone ever had Team A try after a fair catch? Where is the rule in NFHS? I see it referenced, but not discussed directly. When would a team do it?

Once in 25 years: Had a team elect to free kick after a fair catch shortly before half time. Had a very short punt from K's end zone, fair catch at K's 35, and the receiver told me he wanted to free kick. They didn't score, though.

Rule reference is 8-4-1a,
6-5-4,and 2-23-3. Case book 8.4.1B also gives a couple of examples.

What a receiving team attempts to do is to "Free Kick" after a fair catch was made or an awarded fair catch.

See NF 6-5-4 for the gory details.

Never seen this in 18 years of NF football. I've heard of it but only through forums such as this.

Why they would do this? I can only guess that they are down by 3 points or less with maybe a couple ticks on the clock and have a very good free kicker as compare to a potent offense.

I say, free kicker, because that's how they line up. Just like for a free kick to start the game. There is no one in front of the kicker for 10 yards.

Someone else can fill in other details if you really want them.

I never saw it in my 34 years----
heard about someone who had it !
probably most coaches would not even
understand it if it bit them in the
clipboard !

Great. Now we'll probably all have one during our first game this season!

Wouldn't be a big deal. You'd line up just the same as you would for a kickoff, except you'd run the two deep officials (R and BJ) under the goalposts (5-man).

This can be done on a fair catch or on an awarded fair catch.

I've seen it once. The kick was wide. Best time would be near the end of a half.

This is just one of those things you have to know in case it ever happens. Kinda like being prepared for more than one legal forward pass in a high school game.

Rich

[Edited by Rich Fronheiser on Aug 26th, 2003 at 06:53 AM]

Heard about this once...but one question
 

Can the kicking team use a tee for the free kick?

Yes. It's a free kick. They can use a tee if they place kick, just like any other place kick under NFHS rules.

Now, this reminded me of a story I heard last week.

A shortage of football officials and the lack of any centralized assigning group means that where I live there is nothing to stop a rookie official from starting his own crew of rookie officials and then marketing that crew for Friday night games. For the most part that doesn't happen.

However, one such crew worked a varsity game a few seasons ago (I heard this third-hand, so I can't verify this, but I could picture it happening) and after a safety told the team about to free kick that they (1) couldn't use a tee and (2) couldn't punt. The referee told the coach that after a safety the kicking team had to lay the ball on the ground and kick it that way. I don't know if a holder was involved.

Like I said, it's a good story, even if it isn't true.

Rich

[Edited by Rich Fronheiser on Aug 29th, 2003 at 09:50 AM]

Re: Heard about this once...but one question
 

Yes, they may. They can use a place kick per NF 2-23-7 or a drop kick per NF 2-23-6.

I've always wanted to see a team use a drop kick to kick off, but I never have.

Come to think of it, I have never seen a drop kick since I started working football.

Rich

It's too hard to get a good bounce for a drop kick with our pointy-ended American footballs. That rule was more applicable when the ball looked and bounced more like a rugby ball, way back in the day.

I was at the football HOF in Canton a few weeks ago. There they have a football from the 1890's. It was round on the ends, like a rugby ball.

I had a friend back in my hometown who could regularly drop-kick a 30 yard FG. What a freak.

Rich

Our association came up this scenario...

R makes a fair catch on its own 10 yd line with three seconds to go in the first half. It then throws a "Hail Mary" pass which is caught by A80 at the fifty who is immediately tackled. Time has run out.

However, there was roughing the passer back in A's end zone.

Therefore, the penalty will be assessed to B's 35 and A is given an untimed down as a replay...They then have the right to choose a free kick for three points...from a tee...no snap...and no rush from B.

The one question we had as a group was, in explaining the penalty options to A, do we tell them of their right to a free kick? After discussion, we decided "No".

I actually saw it one time in a Pro game (drop kick that is). I want to say it was Randall Cunningham who did it but don't hold me to that as it was better than 10 years ago.

### this is actually an interesting question. While I don't have the exact words in front of me, I believe it says that Team-R has a choice of putting the ball in play by snap or free kick after a fair catch or awarded fair catch.

Do we ever ask them that the first time? Not being a WH, I don't know what he tells them, but it sounds like he should tell them at that point. Agree?

We all know we ask a team where they want the ball spotted for a TRY down because again, the rules say they have a choice of placement.

So with that, I'll go out on a limb and say yes, officials should probably tell the captain (not the coach) of the choice to snap or free kick still exists.