KICKING GAME

FORCE

Responsibility for forcing the ball from the field of play across a goal line is attributed to the player who carries, snaps, passes, fumbles or kicks the ball, unless a new force is applied to a grounded backward pass, kick or fumble.

The muffing or batting of a pass, kick or fumble in flight is not considered a new force

RULE 8-5-art 1

Force can be categorized into two types

Initial force

&

New force

Initial Force Carry Fumble Kick Pass Snap

New ForceCan occur after a backward pass, fumble or kick has

been grounded.

May result from:

Bat Illegal Kick Muff

Now What?Who’s responsible for putting the ball across the goal

line?

It is attributed to the player who carries, snaps, passes, fumbles or kicks the ball.

UNLESSA new force is applied to either a backward pass,

kick or fumble that has beenGROUNDED.

Remember, grounded.A muff, bat of a pass, kick or fumble in

FLIGHT

IS NOT

Considered a new force.

Force is not a factor On kicks going into R’s end zone. When a backward pass or fumble is declared

dead in the EZ of the opponent of the player who passed or fumbled, with no player possession.

MOMENTUM When a defensive player intercepts an opponents

forward pass, intercepts or recovers an opponents fumble or backward pass, or an R player catches or recovers a scrimmage kick or free kick between his five yard line and the goal line and his original momentum carries him into the end zone where the ball is declared dead in his teams possession or it goes out of bounds in the end zone, the ball belongs to the team in possession at the spot where the pass or fumble was intercepted or recovered or the kick was caught or recovered.

Rule 8-5-2a exception

Got Momentum?Don’t panic! Drop bean bag at spot of recovery if momentum rule applies.

KEEP OFFICIATING

Things to remember: Be sure and bean bag spot of recovery. Keep officiating & maintain good position. Communicate with crew on what happened

with the play when momentum applies. SLOW WHISTLE.

TOUCHBACK It is a touchback if any free kick or scrimmage kick:

A. Which is not a scoring attempt or which is a grounded three point field goal attempt, breaks the plane of R’s goal line, unless R chooses a spot of first touching by K.

B. Which is a three point field goal attempt, in flight touches a K player in R’s end zone, or after breaking the plane of R’s goal line is unsuccessful.

C. If any free kick or scrimmage kick becomes dead in the kicker’s end zone while no player has possession, it is a safety or touchback.

D. Any scrimmage kick or free kick becomes dead on or behind K’s goal line with the ball in possession of K (including when the ball is declared dead with no player in possession) and the new force is R’s muff or bat of the kick after it has touched the ground

E. A fumble is the force, or a muff or bat of a backward pass or a fumble after either has touched the ground is the new force, which send the ball to or across the opponent's goal line and provided such opponent is in team possession or the ball is out of bounds when it becomes dead on or behind its goal line.

F. A forward pass is intercepted in B’s end zone and becomes dead there in B’s possession

Table 6-4Result of Activities during Scrimmage Kicks and Free Kicks

Scrimmage Kick Free Kick1. Kick recovered beyond the neutral zone

may be advanced only by R.2. Kick recovered in or behind the neutral

zone may be advanced by either team.3. Kick not recovered by either team

belongs to R.4. Kick jointly recovered by R and K

belongs to R.

1. A kickoff including the kick following a safety, cannot score a field goal.

2. Kick following a fair catch or awarded fair catch may score a field goal.

3. Kick may not be advanced by K.4. Kick not recovered by either team

belongs to R.5. Kick jointly recovered by R and K

belongs to R.

NOTE: K is in team possession during a kick. A kick ends when a player gains possession or when the ball becomes dead by rule. R gains possession of the ball when a player of R catches or recovers the live ball.

IF THE KICK BECOMES DEAD IN R’S END ZONETouchback in all cases unless a field goal is scored.

IF THE KICK BECOMES DEAD IN K’S END ZONEIf the force is:1. The kick or any other new force by K.

2. A new force by R.

Then the ruling is:1. Safety, if the kick is out of bounds or K

has possession, including when the ball is loose or Touchdown if R is in possession.

2. Touchback, if the kick is out of bounds, or K has possession, including when the ball is loose, or Touchdown if R is in possession

FIRST TOUCHING If any K player touches a free kick before it crosses R’s free kick line and

before it is touched there by any R player, it is referred to as “first touching of the kick”

Results – R may take the ball at the spot of first touching, or any spot if there are more than one spot of first touching or they may choose to have the ball put in play as determined by the action which follows first touching.

Such touching is ignored if it is caused by R pushing or blocking K into contact with the ball. The right of R to take the ball at the spot of first touching by K is cancelled if R touches the kick and thereafter during the down commits a foul or if the penalty is accepted for any foul committed during the down.

Rule 6-1-6

Free Kick 1st touching K touches FK before it crosses R’s FK line &

before kick is touched by R. 1st touching is ignored if R pushes or blocks K

into ball. 1st touching is cancelled if R touches kick &

then commits a foul or accepted penalty for any foul during the down.

R’s Options? May take ball at spot of 1st touching.

Or any spot of 1st touching if there is more than one spot of 1st touching.

Or result of the play.

Scrimmage Kick 1st touching

K touches a scrimmage kick that: Goes beyond expanded NZ to R’s GL & Before it is touched by R beyond the NZ & Before ball has come to rest.

Such touching is ignored if R:Pushes or BLOCKS K into the ball.

R’s options May take ball at spot of 1st touching. Or any spot of 1st touching if there is more than

one spot of 1st touching. Or result of the play.

If you have 1st touching on a FK or SKremember to

Make sure it was K that touched it 1st. Drop bean bag on yard line of 1st touching. Keep officiating. SLOW WHISTLE. Notify Referee you have a “spot of 1st

touching.”

FAIR CATCH A fair catch is a catch by a receiver of a free kick in or beyond the neutral

zone to the receivers goal line, or of a scrimmage kick beyond the neutral zone to the receivers goal line, after a valid signal, under conditions in which the receiver forfeits the right to advance the ball in return for protection from being blocked or tackled by an opponent.

An awarded fair catch occurs when the offended team chooses to take the ball at the spot of the kick catching interference rather than accepting the distance penalty from the previous spot and replaying the down.

A valid fair catch signal is the extending and lateral waving of one arm at full arms length above the head, by any R player.

An invalid fair catch signal is any signal by a receiver before the kick is caught or recovered.

a. That does not meet the requirements of a valid signal. b. After the kick has touched the ground. c. After the kick has touched a receiver.

An illegal fair catch signal is a signal by a runner. a. After the kick has been caught. b. After the kick has been recovered.

FAIR CATCH Any receiver may signal for a fair catch while any legal

kick is in flight. Any receiver who has given a valid or invalid fair catch signal is prohibited from blocking until the kick has ended.

It is a fair catch and the ball is dead if any receiver gives a valid fair catch signal and he catches a free kick in or beyond the neutral zone to R’s goal line, or a scrimmage kick beyond the neutral zone to R’s goal line.

Only the receiver who gives a valid signal is afforded protection. If after a receiver signals, the catch is made by a teammate, it is not a fair catch but the ball becomes dead.

FAIR CATCH The captain may choose to free kick or snap anywhere between the hash marks

on the yard line through the spot of the catch when a fair catch is made or through the spot of interference, when a fair catch is awarded. These choices remain in affect if a dead-ball foul occurs prior to the down, or a foul or an inadvertent whistle occurs during the down and the down is to replayed.

No receiver may advance the ball after a valid or invalid fair catch signal has been given by any R player.

While any free kick is in flight in or beyond the neutral zone to the receivers goal line, or any scrimmage kick is in flight beyond the neutral zone to the receivers goal line, K shall not:

a. Touch the ball or R, unless blocked into the ball or R, or to ward of a blocker: or

b. Obstruct R’s pass to the ball

NOTE; This prohibition applies even when no fair catch signal is given, but does not apply after a free kick has been touched by a receiver, or after a scrimmage kick has been touched by a receiver who was clearly beyond the neutral zone at the time of touching.

EXCEPTION - K may catch, touch, muff, or bat a scrimmage kick in flight beyond the neutral zone if no player or R is in position to catch the ball.

By giving a fair catch signal, R is giving up his right to advance the kick.

B position slightly behind of and to the side of receiver on L’s side of field.

F and S line up 5 yards in front of receiver watching keys (widest gunners for K)

B brief receiver on his fair catch provisions. View initial trajectory of ball & then eyes on kick returner.

Fair Catch signal given & made Slow whistle Give time out signal Bean bag spot Inform Referee of FC made.

Fair Catch signal given & not made

Stay with ball. Be aware of 1st touching by K. Kick is dead when it breaks plane of R’s GL Inform Referee of ball status.

Things to remember: No blocking allowed by a receiver if he gives

a valid or invalid FC signal until the kick has ended.

Ball is dead if FC signal is given & ball is caught or recovered.

Only receiver giving signal is afforded protection. Other receiver catches(ball dead)

Watch for muff by R & slow whistle. K cannot advance a muff.

Valid? Invalid? Or Illegal?

Valid: One arm high and waving.

Invalid: Signal given before ball is caught or recovered:

A. that doesn’t meet valid requirements B. After the kick has touched a receiver C. After the kick has touched the ground Illegal: Signal given by a runner: A. After the kick has been caught B. After the kick has been recovered

No advancement after valid or invalid FC signal.

Slow whistle, don’t anticipate. Bean bag end of kick.

FIELD GOALS A field goal is scored as follows:

a. The field goal attempt shall be a place kick or a drop kick from scrimmage, or from a free kick following a fair catch, or an awarded fair catch.

b. The kicked ball shall not touch any player of K beyond the neutral zone or the ground before passing through the goal.

c. The kicked ball shall pass between the vertical uprights or the inside of the uprights extended and above the crossbar of the opponents goal.

After a field goal, the opponent of the scoring team shall designate which team shall kickoff.

Alabama High School Athletic Association

Basic Positions For Kick Trys and Field Goals

Crew of 7

10 10

10 10

20 20

20 20

30

30 30

40 40

40 40

50

50

R

LJ

L

U

FJ

SJ

Press Box

BJ

33

LJ

Alabama High School Athletic Association

Basic Positions For Kick Trys and Field Goals

Crew of 7

10 10

10 10

20 20

20 20

30

30 30

40 40

40 40

50

50

RLJ

L

UFJ

SJ

Press Box

BJ

34

LJ

FIELD GOAL Points to remember•Be comfortable behind your upright.•Count team and B time 25 sec. count.•B rule on your upright & crossbar.•F rule on your upright.•S moves in to “double Umpire”.•Whistle successful kick or unsuccessful kick that breaks GL plane.•B Communicate with F verbally & visually.•Move straight out, stop & signal.

LONG RETURNS

REVERSE MECHANICS