QUESTION ABOUT RULES

[Chechem]

Just thinking... How to cause a muffed punt:

If Bama is in punt formation and doesn't want to try a fake punt, how about this:  PUNTER KICKS A LOW, LINE DRIVE PUNT TOWARD THE RECEIVING PLAYERS.  Once the ball crosses the line of scrimmage and is touched by the defense, it's a free ball.  Most of the receiving team would have their backs to the punter and not see the ball coming.  Seems that kicking into the mass of receiving players could be easy for a punter, especially if the kicking team knows it's coming (and clears the way).  It could be like an on-sides kick.  I read the rules and didn't see anywhere that kicking high was required; only that it must pass the LOS and be touched by the defense before such a scramble could occur.

 

[Hannibal Lecter, MD]

If it was easy enough to do (high rate of success), you'd see it happen regularly.

[Chechem]

If it was easy enough to do (high rate of success), you'd see it happen regularly.

I know it's chicken ship  , but with the new Australian kickers it should be easy.  Even if it missed hitting a player it should roll 30-40 yards anyhow.

[ricky023]

We could do this as the same as an onside kick. RTR!

[N.AL-Tider]

In a punting situation most of the linemen on the receiving team try and get a push to try and block the kick.  They tend to come across the LOS so if they were hit by a punted ball then it wouldn't be the same as if a kick return guy missed catching it and it being a live ball. It would be more like a blocked punt.

[ricky023]

In a punting situation most of the linemen on the receiving team try and get a push to try and block the kick.  They tend to come across the LOS so if they were hit by a punted ball then it wouldn't be the same as if a kick return guy missed catching it and it being a live ball. It would be more like a blocked punt.

What you have described I believe is correct. It would be considered a blocked punt. RTR!

[Chechem]

In a punting situation most of the linemen on the receiving team try and get a push to try and block the kick.  They tend to come across the LOS so if they were hit by a punted ball then it wouldn't be the same as if a kick return guy missed catching it and it being a live ball. It would be more like a blocked punt.

What you have described I believe is correct. It would be considered a blocked punt. RTR!

Watch the next game.  The entire center of the D-line quickly retreats without crossing the LOS.  I watched last weekend.  Only the outside guys usually force the punter.  By the time he kicks, most have retreated 5-10 yards with their backs to the punter.

[N.AL-Tider]

In a punting situation most of the linemen on the receiving team try and get a push to try and block the kick.  They tend to come across the LOS so if they were hit by a punted ball then it wouldn't be the same as if a kick return guy missed catching it and it being a live ball. It would be more like a blocked punt.

What you have described I believe is correct. It would be considered a blocked punt. RTR!

Watch the next game.  The entire center of the D-line quickly retreats without crossing the LOS.  I watched last weekend.  Only the outside guys usually force the punter.  By the time he kicks, most have retreated 5-10 yards with their backs to the punter.

Kicking a football isn't like a sniper picking off his intended target.  The likelihood of his kick hitting one of his own players is probably better than hitting one of the receiving team players.  If I were a coach, I most definitely would never try doing that on a punt.

[Chechem]

While we're on rules, I'll add info about a situation that RE and I were discussing last week.

Did you know this (I think I've got it right)? 

A receiver crosses the field near the goalline and catches the ball at the sidelines.  The ball is outside the sidelines and never crosses the goalline, but the receiver swings his feet across the goalline and steps OB just across the goal.  His feet were over the endzone, but never touched down.  The receiver never touched inside the endzone or touched the pylon.  He's ruled OB at the 1 yard line (or wherever he caught the ball).

If his foot touches the pylon, it's a TD (as long as the other foot was not OB).  If his foot touches inside the endzone, it's a TD, even if the ball never crossed the goalline.

[N.AL-Tider]

"Infinite plane" rules are confusing and don't always make sense.  a receiver can catch the ball and run the entire length of the field holding the ball "out of bounds" but the ball will only be downed where he touches out of bounds, or a TD when he crosses the end zone line. One can also run sideline to sideline with the ball but if the ball ever crosses the EZ line it is deemed a TD even though the ball carrier never crosses into the zone.  It just doesn't make any sense...

[Hannibal Lecter, MD]

While we're on rules, I'll add info about a situation that RE and I were discussing last week.

Did you know this (I think I've got it right)? 

A receiver crosses the field near the goalline and catches the ball at the sidelines.  The ball is outside the sidelines and never crosses the goalline, but the receiver swings his feet across the goalline and steps OB just across the goal.  His feet were over the endzone, but never touched down.  The receiver never touched inside the endzone or touched the pylon.  He's ruled OB at the 1 yard line (or wherever he caught the ball).

If his foot touches the pylon, it's a TD (as long as the other foot was not OB).  If his foot touches inside the endzone, it's a TD, even if the ball never crossed the goalline.

This was discussed during a game last week.  You guys must have been watching.

[Chechem]

While we're on rules, I'll add info about a situation that RE and I were discussing last week.

Did you know this (I think I've got it right)? 

A receiver crosses the field near the goalline and catches the ball at the sidelines.  The ball is outside the sidelines and never crosses the goalline, but the receiver swings his feet across the goalline and steps OB just across the goal.  His feet were over the endzone, but never touched down.  The receiver never touched inside the endzone or touched the pylon.  He's ruled OB at the 1 yard line (or wherever he caught the ball).

If his foot touches the pylon, it's a TD (as long as the other foot was not OB).  If his foot touches inside the endzone, it's a TD, even if the ball never crossed the goalline.

This was discussed during a game last week.  You guys must have been watching.

Actually I saw that after he and I discussed it, and I was more confused afterward than before.  Apparently the rules make it easier for the officials to judge.  They can see feet OB along the sidelines, but aren't usually in position to see if the ball crosses OB.  At the goalline it's easier to judge the ball crossing.  As NALT said, it gets weird at times.

[2Stater]

 

[Hannibal Lecter, MD]

I'm not sure that goaline/pylon rule is the same in the NFL/college either.   The rule isn't the same for touchbacks on kicks.

[ricky023]

I thought the ball had to cross the goalline and it only had to make sure one foot was inbounds no matter it was caught. RTR!

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