Saw something I've never seen in a game before last night. Team A is punting, punter gets a bad snap, is trying to pick up the ball off the ground. Team B is rushing him, Punter can't get it so he hauls off and kicks it on the ground forward. Legal or not?
Rules question?
- Thread starter trolleyof85
- Start date
Not 100% certain but would think it is a legal punt. Could be considered a drop kick (a kick not being held that is kicked as it touches or after it touches the ground) which is legal.
In general, once the ball touches the ground and kicked it’s no longer a punt but a place kick so I believe if not returned by the defense it would the ball would go back to the place it was kicked from and possession would be turned over. Of course this situation sounds like it may fall within rules implemented to safety and may be illegal.
Last week Miller attempted a FG from about the 35 yd line and failed. Ball was placed at the 20 to start the next series. I just brushed it off as "high school rules" Was it not supposed to be placed at the point of kick?
Federation code. A missed field goal is a scrimmage kick. As with any scrimmage kick, the ball will be placed at the inbounds mark on any kick that does not enter R's end zone and is declared dead in the field of play or goes out of bounds before entering R's end zone. So in your original question if the kick is short and grounds in the end zone or is an unsuccessful field goal that is kicked through the end zone it is a touchback. 1st and 10 on the 20-yard line. However, if the kick goes out of bounds on the 2-yard line it will be R's ball 1st and 10 at the 2.
