Kicks Flashcards
Scrimmage kick formation
NFHS - No player in position for hand-to-hand snap and either: 1) player with knee on ground at least 7 yards behind LOS with placekicker 3 yards or less behind holder. 2) player 10 yards or more behind LOS in position to take long snap
NCAA - No player in position for hand-to-hand snap and at least one player 7 yards or more behind NZ. It must be obvious that a kick may be attempted
Fair catch signal
NFHS - Invalid (ball touched ground or player or bad signal) or Illegal signal (after possession is gained) is a 5-yard penalty. Ball remains live after illegal signal
NCAA - Invalid signal not a penalty- same result as legal signal but without muff recovery protection. Signal after possession makes ball dead
Fair catch - blocking by signaller
NFHS - prohibited until kick has ended
NCAA - Prohibited during down unless signaller first touches the ball before blocking
Fair catch muff
NFHS - R loses protection to catch the ball
NCAA - R maintains protection for signaller to complete catch after a muff
Fair Catch - succeeding spot
NFHS - Anywhere between inbounds lines where ball is caught
NCAA - Spot where ball is caught
Kick Catch Interference
NFHS - 15 yards from previous spot or awarded fair catch. No “halo”
NCAA - 15 yards from spot of foul. Foul if kicking team member enters “halo” between receiver’s shoulders within 1 yard in front of receiver
Illegal kick
NFHS - Live ball foul - 15 yard penalty, treated like fumble
NCAA - Return kick or illegal kick - immediate dead ball 5 yds from spot (return only) or 5-yards from previous spot with LOD (illegal only)
Free kick after fair catch
NFHS - Option after fair catch, awarded fair catch, or replay of down after either. Kick can score a field goal
NCAA - Never an option
Place kick holder knees
NFHS - Must rise if a fake, cannot return to ground if muffed or fumbled and then recovered with knees off ground
NCAA - No rise needed to pass, can put knee down as long as there is a kicker in position to kick at the snap
Kicks dead in end zone
NFHS - All kicks are dead when breaking plane of goal line
NCAA - Any kick touches ground in end zone untouched (beyond n.z.) by B is dead
Kicks batted back from endzone
NFHS - All kicks are dead when breaking plane of goal line
NCAA - Ball penetrating plane of goal line but hasn’t touched ground is still live, but A touching in EZ is illegal touching in endzone and will result in touchback if spot is elected by B
Kicks - advance by K after crossing neutral zone
NFHS - Can be done if ball returns behind neutral zone
NCAA - Cannot be done. Once ball crosses n.z., it is past
Kickoff line and formation
NFHS - 40 yard line. No formation restrictions
NCAA - 35 yard line. Minimum of four kicking team players on each side of kicker. After RFP, all players on A except kicker must be no more than 5 yds behind their restraining line (legal when feet are ON the line). Live ball foul
