Onside Kicks Flashcards
ONSIDE KICK FAILS TO GO 10 YARDS—UNTOUCHED BY EITHER TEAM
A1 tries an onside kick from the A35. The ball rolls to a stop untouched at the A44.
Ruling: B’s ball, first-and-10 on A44. The ball belongs to the receiving team at the dead ball spot.
ONSIDE KICK—ILLEGAL TOUCH
On an onside kick from the A35, A1 illegally touches the ball at the A43. B1 picks up the ball, runs to the A20,
fumbles, and A2 recovers there.
Ruling: B’s ball, first-and-10 on A43. Team B has the option to take the ball at the spot of illegal touching by Team
A, however, the five-yard penalty for illegal touching cannot be enforced from the illegal touch spot, unless that is
also the dead-ball spot.
ONSIDE KICK—ILLEGAL TOUCH—TEAM B RECOVERS OR KICK GOES OUT OF BOUNDS
On an onside kick from the A35, A1 illegally touches the ball at the A44. The ball continues to roll to the A48 where:
(a) B1 recovers and is tackled; or (b) B1 touches the ball and it then rolls out of bounds there.
Rulings: (a) and (b): B’s ball, first-and-10 on A43. The five-yard penalty for illegal touching is enforced from the dead
ball spot.
Note: Team B could also take the ball at the illegal touch spot (A44), but the five-yard penalty for the illegal touching
can only be enforced from the dead ball spot.
ONSIDE KICK—ILLEGAL TOUCH
On onside kick from the A35: (a) A2 illegally recovers the ball at the A42; (b) the kick goes out of bounds untouched
at the 50; or (c) A2 illegally touches the kick at the A42, after which B1 picks up the kick at the A46 and returns it to
the A21.
Rulings:
(a) B’s ball, first-and-10 on A37. Illegal touch and recovery by Team A. The penalty can be assessed from the deadball spot because the recovery by Team A was not legal, so Team B is awarded possession at that spot.
(b) B’s ball, first-and-10 on the 50. Decline the foul for kickoff out of bounds.
(c) B’s ball, first-and-10 on A16. The five-yard penalty for illegal touching can be enforced from the dead ball spot,
provided Team B has possession at that spot.
ONSIDE KICK—ILLEGAL TOUCH BY A—LEGAL RECOVERY BY A
On an onside kick attempt from the A35, A1 illegally touches the ball at the A44, and A2 then recovers at the A46.
Ruling: B’s ball, first-and-10 on A44. Since A2’s recovery at the A46 is a legal recovery, there is no option to enforce
the five-yard penalty from the dead-ball spot. Team B’s only options are for a re-kick after a five-yard penalty, or to
take the ball at the illegal touch spot.
ONSIDE KICK—KICKING TEAM PLAYER CATCHES KICK
Team A tries an onside kick from the A35 which goes directly into the air and is caught by A2 at the A47: (a) No
Team B player was near the ball; or (b) B2 could have caught ball.
Rulings:
(a) A’s ball, first-and-10 on A47. Legal catch and recovery.
(b) B’s ball, first-and-10 on A32. Interference with the opportunity to catch a kick. No time would run off the game
clock in either (a) or (b). (6-3-1-c)
ONSIDE KICK INTO GROUND—FAIR-CATCH SIGNAL—RECOVERY BY TEAM A
On an onside kick from the A35, the ball is kicked down into the ground and bounces high into the air coming down
at the A47 where B1 gives a fair catch signal. A1 blocks him out of the way before the ball arrives, and A2 catches
the ball there.
Ruling: A’s ball, first-and-10 on A47. Since the ball was kicked into the ground, Team B is not permitted to signal
for a fair catch, and they do not have the right to an unhindered opportunity to catch the kick. Team A is allowed to
block after 10 yards, because the ball hit the ground, and they are allowed to push or pull an opponent in an attempt
to recover a ball which they may legally recover. Team A would decline the option to enforce a five-yard penalty from
the spot of the illegal signal (B’s ball) and would take possession at the spot where the kick was recovered.
ONSIDE KICK—AIRBORNE CONTROL BY TEAM A—LANDS OUT OF BOUNDS
A1 attempts an onside kick from the A35. The ball bounces and goes into the air. As the ball is airborne near the
sideline at the A46, A2 jumps up and controls the ball there. Before A2 comes to the ground, he is pushed out of
bounds where he maintains control of the ball when he hits the ground. A2 would have landed inbounds.
Ruling: B’s ball, first-and-10 on A46. This is a kickoff out of bounds, because A2 did not complete the process of
the catch inbounds. Team B would take the ball at the dead ball spot, as it is more beneficial than 25 yards from the
spot of the kick.
ONSIDE KICK—BLOCK BY TEAM A WITHIN 10 YARDS
On a grounded onside kick from the A35, A1 blocks B1 above the waist at the A43 while the ball is rolling at the A46.
A2 falls on the ball at the A47
Ruling: Rekick A25. Illegal block. Kickers may not block an opponent in the first 10 yards until the ball has been
touched by a Team B player, unless that player is actively trying to obstruct him. The location of the ball at the time
of the block is irrelevant. Team B must accept the penalty and have a rekick, or the ball would belong to Team A,
because Team A is in legal possession at the end of the down.
ONSIDE KICK—MULTIPLE FOULS BY TEAM A
On an onside kick into the ground from the A35, A1 blocks B1 high at the A44 while the ball is at the A42. The ball
goes out of bounds untouched at the A48.
Ruling: B’s ball, first-and-10 on A38. Team B also has the option of a re-kick from the A25, but it would choose to
enforce the illegal block foul from the dead-ball spot. The block is illegal, because Team A blocked within the first 10
yards, before the ball was legally touched.
ONSIDE KICK—BALL BATTED BACKWARD BY TEAM B
On an onside kick from the A35, the ball rolls toward the sideline at the A44 where B1 bats the ball backward to the
B46 where it glances off of A2’s leg, and it goes out of bounds at the B38.
Ruling: B’s ball, first-and-10 on B38. No foul for a kickoff out of bounds, since A2 is deemed not to have touched
the ball. It is a legal bat, because the ball was batted backward.
ONSIDE KICK—TEAM A ILLEGAL FORMATION
On an onside kick from the A35, A3 is moving his feet forward before the kick but is not offside. A4 then recovers
the kick at the A47.
Ruling: Rekick from A30, after the five-yard illegal formation penalty for A3 not keeping both feet on the ground from
the time the kicker starts forward until the ball is kicked.
ONSIDE KICK—LEGAL RECOVERY BY TEAM A—DOUBLE FOUL
On an onside kick from the A35, A2 is offside. A1 recovers at the A47, and B1 tackles A1 by the facemask.
Ruling: Rekick 50. Double foul (5 vs. 15) applies, as there was no change of possession. Enforce B’s foul from the
previous spot and rekick.
ONSIDE KICK—DOUBLE FOUL—ILLEGAL TOUCH/LOW BLOCK
On an onside kick from the A35, A1 is the first to touch the kick at the A42, and A2 then recovers the kick at the A46.
During the kick, B1 blocks A3 below the waist at the A44.
Ruling: Rekick at the A35. This is not a 5 vs. 15 enforcement, because the illegal touch is not a simple five-yard
penalty.
