New Rules for 2015

[KWH]

Originally Posted by CT1

Unfortunately, that's not the reality. In actual game situations, most K players are well downfield and much contact has occurred by the time the whistle blows and the players react.

Giving R a "tack-on" option would lessen the numbers of rekicks as much, if not more, than keeping it a dead-ball foul.

With all due respect CT1, I disagree!
1) Making it a live ball foul and providing a tack-on option, (as you suggest) would then also include the option to re-kick!
Because of the option to re-kick, I would not expect the NFHS to change.

2) If, as you suggest, most K players are well down field and much contact has occurred by the time the whistle blows then I suggest either the R (K had less than 4 on either side of the kicker), or the B (someone on K other than the player that went back more than 5 yards kicked the ball), or the H (K encroached) or the L (R encroached) One of these guys is guilty of being slow on the whistle.
Pre-Game who blows the whistle to shut it down and get on the whistle.

[CT1]

Originally Posted by KWH

With all due respect CT1, I disagree!
1) Making it a live ball foul and providing a tack-on option, (as you suggest) would then also include the option to re-kick!
Because of the option to re-kick, I would not expect the NFHS to change.

That's true. But I believe that, unless R is downed inside his red zone, very few rekicks will happen. (I don't expect NFHS to change either!)

2) If, as you suggest, most K players are well down field and much contact has occurred by the time the whistle blows then I suggest either the R (K had less than 4 on either side of the kicker), or the B (someone on K other than the player that went back more than 5 yards kicked the ball), or the H (K encroached) or the L (R encroached) One of these guys is guilty of being slow on the whistle.
Pre-Game who blows the whistle to shut it down and get on the whistle.

I agree that the whistle should come as soon as possible. But there's still some lag time between "Hey, he can't do that!" and *TWEET* and "Uh-oh, I better pull up" reactions.

Remember, most of the K and R players are only 10 yards apart.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by CT1

I agree that the whistle should come as soon as possible. But there's still some lag time between "Hey, he can't do that!" and *TWEET* and "Uh-oh, I better pull up" reactions.

Remember, most of the K and R players are only 10 yards apart.

And yet what I've usually seen in cases of encroachment where Fed rules are on, the contact is aborted or only slight.

[ajmc]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

And yet what I've usually seen in cases of encroachment where Fed rules are on, the contact is aborted or only slight.

No matter how big they get, or how much equipment we dress them up in, NFHS rules are still designed for High School students, and below. NCAA and NFL rules govern games played by young, and/or fully grown men.

Why would you expect "one size to fit all"?

[SE Minnestoa Re]

I've never had to call this one yet. Teams where I work always line up properly and have had no issues.

[FTVMartin]

Last year our BJ did give the kicker the ball until 4 on each side. Now that is not a penalty until the kick so we will probably see more shifts before the kick.

[Big2Cat]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

What would you think of ignoring 5-yarders, and counting only 15-yard penalties, when a combination of fouls penalizable by 5- and 15-yd. penalties is committed by one or both teams in a dead ball interval?
?

That would be too much like the NFL.

[OKREF]

Originally Posted by FTVMartin

I still don't understand why the illegal formation on the kickoff is not live ball. Same as illegal formation on a play from scrimmage.

Starting this year it is.

FREE-KICK FORMATIONS REVISED (6-1-3; 6-1-4 NEW; 6-1 PENALTY): In a revision of the 2014 rule change regarding free-kick formations, the timing of the foul for not having at
least four players on each side of the kicker now occurs when the ball is kicked.

Now, do we shut it down as soon as the ball is kicked, just as we do on an offsides play?

[CT1]

Originally Posted by OKREF

Starting this year it is.

FREE-KICK FORMATIONS REVISED (6-1-3; 6-1-4 NEW; 6-1 PENALTY): In a revision of the 2014 rule change regarding free-kick formations, the timing of the foul for not having at
least four players on each side of the kicker now occurs when the ball is kicked.

Now, do we shut it down as soon as the ball is kicked, just as we do on an offsides encroachment play?

Yes, which is why it's signaled as Encroachment, not Illegal Formation. NFHS doesn't want a second kickoff, which would be one of the options if this were administered as a live-ball foul.