Player on R Team Puts Hit on K Team Member When Ball Rolling on Ground

[FrankNFHS]

Scenario;

K team punts from its 30 yard line.  Nice hanging punt that lands on R team's 40 yard line and starts to roll slowly on the ground.  One of K team players is near the ball but just standing by watching the ball roll to a stop, no R team player in the area.  One player from R team comes in and puts a BIG hit on described K team player watching ball.  No one has touched the ball.....


What is the call and penalty?  Thanks...one thing that did result was that K team player that put hit on player was disqualified. 

[Atlanta Blue]

Thanks...one thing that did result was that K team player that put hit on player was disqualified.

Why?  I think you have a K/R problem somewhere. 

In any case, it is a PF, strictly a judgment call by the official.  Assuming the call was on R, it is a PSK foul if R retains possession at the end of the play.

[InsideTheStripes]

Flagrant personal foul on the R player.  9-4-3 (g) 

R's ball first and ten after the 15 yard penalty is assessed.  R player is ejected.

[mbyron]

Flagrant personal foul on the R player.  9-4-3 (g) 

R's ball first and ten after the 15 yard penalty is assessed.  R player is ejected.

I don't see anything in the OP that would lead me to a DQ on this play. You'd get in trouble around here for tossing a kid for a late hit.

[InsideTheStripes]

I don't see anything in the OP that would lead me to a DQ on this play. You'd get in trouble around here for tossing a kid for a late hit.

Since the OP included the fact that the player making the hit in this case WAS disqualified, I assumed the officials actually on the field deemed it to be flagrant.  My response wasn't indicative of what *I* would do on a play I haven't seen.  My response was an attempt at explaining the call that was actually made.

[hoochycoochy]

...You'd get in trouble around here for tossing a kid for a late hit.

I think a good case can be made that K was a defenseless player.  That would make R's hit flagrant and warrant an ejection.  Some of what I underlined below is, in my opinion, in the same category as the OP.  Certainly need to see it but from what I read, I've got no issues with an ejection. 

9.4.3 COMMENT: Is there suggested guidance on what is meant by a defenseless
player who should be protected from unnecessary roughness? Yes, defenseless
players are especially vulnerable to potential injury. Game officials must diligently
observe safety rules and watch for contact against players who are deemed
defenseless such as: (a) A quarterback moving down the line of scrimmage who
has handed or pitched the ball to a teammate, and then makes no attempt to participate
further in the play; (b) A kicker who is in the act of kicking the ball, or who
has not had a reasonable amount of time to regain his balance after the kick; (c)
A passer who is in the act of throwing the ball, or who has not had a reasonable
length of time to participate in the play again after releasing the ball; (d) A pass
receiver whose concentration is on the ball and the contact by the defender is
unrelated to attempting to catch the ball; (e) A pass receiver who has clearly
relaxed when he has missed the pass or feels he can no longer catch; (f) A kick
receiver whose attention is on the downward flight of the ball; (g) A kick receiver
who has just touched the ball; (h) Any player who has relaxed once the ball has
become dead; and (i) Any player who is obviously out of the play. The game official
must draw distinction between contact necessary to make a legal block or
tackle, and that which targets defenseless players.

[Harry]

Personal Foul.  I had pretty much this exact situation a few years ago.  It's a unnecessary hit against a defenseless player.

[mbyron]

I think a good case can be made that K was a defenseless player.  That would make R's hit flagrant and warrant an ejection.  Some of what I underlined below is, in my opinion, in the same category as the OP.  Certainly need to see it but from what I read, I've got no issues with an ejection. 

There's no "case" to be made, since none of us have seen the play. Of course, in general any PF could be a flagrant foul. That's always a judgment call by the official.

I'm saying that merely calling it a "BIG hit" to me doesn't constitute a flagrant foul. I have no evidence whatever with which to assess the DQ administered in the actual play. I might have made the same call, or I might not have. :shrug: