Author Topic: Awarded Fair Catch  (Read 7442 times)

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Offline BG5

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Awarded Fair Catch
« on: October 10, 2016, 11:27:36 AM »
Hey Gang,

I have been getting alot of help on this forum so thanks in advance.  A quick question regarding an awarded fair catch.

Is the scenario below a time where you could have an awarded fair catch.

Onside kick by kicking team.  the ball only travels 7 yards and the receiving team is in position to grab the ball but the kicking team blows up the receiving teams player who is about to try to get the ball.  I understand the ball has to travel 10 yards but lets assume the receiving player runs up to try to grab the ball prior to it going 10 yards.  Would we have Kick catch interference here and award them the penalty options from the awarded fair catch spot (where the kicking player blew up the receiving player) or am I totally not understanding the awarded fair catch idea?

Offline bawags06

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Re: Awarded Fair Catch
« Reply #1 on: October 10, 2016, 11:41:28 AM »
Rule 7-1-6: Kick catch interference can only occur when the ball is in flight. Theoretically, if the R player was trying to catch the ball in the air, then the KCI would give the option of an awarded fair catch after a 15-yard penalty from the spot of the foul.

I'm ready and willing to learn what y'all have to say about kicks and the ball in flight. It would seem that during a grounded onside kick attempt, the blocking would be fair game, but I can't find a reference at the moment.

Offline Curious

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Re: Awarded Fair Catch
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2016, 11:58:59 AM »
From the way you describe the play, the free kick has been grounded; therefore, there can be no KCI or any awarded fair catch.  However, the kicking team cannot contact the receiver prior to the ball travelling 10 yards - when they (K) may legally recover the kick - unless the contact is initiated by R (9-3-8).  So, in your play, you would have an illegal block by K during a loose ball play with enforcement, if accepted, from the previous spot; or, if K touched the ball prior to it travelling 10 yards, they could take the ball at the spot of first touching 

Of course, if the ball is still airborne, contact with the ball or a receiver making an attempt to catch the kick, before the receiver touches the kick, is KCI - whether or not a fair catch signal has been given.


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Offline BG5

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Re: Awarded Fair Catch
« Reply #3 on: October 10, 2016, 12:07:45 PM »
Curious....thank you......Just so I am understanding you.  If K kicks the ball  up in the air and it travels 15 yards without it touching the ground.  If k grabs the ball before it hits the ground we would have kick catch interference even if the receiving team is not around.  There was a play in our league last friday night where this happened and we are not sure how to rule this.  Thanks for your previous post as that clears things up.

Offline Ralph Damren

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Re: Awarded Fair Catch
« Reply #4 on: October 10, 2016, 12:30:37 PM »
Things that are good to remember on this :

  (1) While R can only make a fair catch BEYOND the neutral zone on SCRIMMAGE kicks; he can make a fair catch IN or BEYOND the neutral zone on FREE kicks {6-5-2}.

  (2) Touching a free kick in the air by K, if untouched by R, is always KCI; unlike 6-1-6 EXCEPTION granted K on scrimmage kicks.

...another good thing to remember.....

  ITS COLUMBUS DAY....TIME FOR
A CLAM BROTH MARTINI... tR:oLl tR:oLl tR:oLl

Offline VALJ

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Re: Awarded Fair Catch
« Reply #5 on: October 10, 2016, 01:39:13 PM »
Curious....thank you......Just so I am understanding you.  If K kicks the ball  up in the air and it travels 15 yards without it touching the ground.  If k grabs the ball before it hits the ground we would have kick catch interference even if the receiving team is not around.  There was a play in our league last friday night where this happened and we are not sure how to rule this.  Thanks for your previous post as that clears things up.

On a free kick, you're correct, BG.  A free kick must either (a) travel 10 yards AND have touched the ground in any order, or (b) be touched by R, before K can legally touch the ball.  Once Hans (the kicker) has kicked the ball on a free kick, if Handsy - also on the kicking team - is the first to touch the ball and it has not yet been grounded, Handsy has committed KCI.

R can choose from three options: (A) penalize 15 yards and rekick, or (B) be given an awarded fair catch and penalize 15 yards from there, or (C) take the result of the play.

Offline J12

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Re: Awarded Fair Catch
« Reply #6 on: October 14, 2016, 12:47:54 PM »
If there is KCI on a play where R does NOT signal for a fair catch, and R takes the awarded fair catch, is the option of the Free Kick still applicable.

Offline scrounge

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Re: Awarded Fair Catch
« Reply #7 on: October 14, 2016, 01:01:55 PM »
If there is KCI on a play where R does NOT signal for a fair catch, and R takes the awarded fair catch, is the option of the Free Kick still applicable.

Absolutely. They may try for a FG after an awarded fair catch, per 8-4-1

ART. 1 . . . A field goal is scored as follows:

a. The field-goal attempt shall be a place kick or a drop kick from scrimmage, or from a free kick following a fair catch, or an awarded fair catch.
« Last Edit: October 14, 2016, 01:05:42 PM by scrounge »

Offline Welpe

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Awarded Fair Catch
« Reply #8 on: October 20, 2016, 02:28:59 AM »
And don't forget with an awarded fair catch, the receiving team has the option of putting the ball in play anywhere between the hashes.

Offline AlUpstateNY

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Re: Awarded Fair Catch
« Reply #9 on: October 20, 2016, 04:04:34 PM »
Worth mentioning; regardless of which manner is chosen to put the ball in play following an Awarded FC, should there be a live ball foul during that down, that is accepted, the option to begin play with a snap, or free kick, still applies.

Offline NewEra1005

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Re: Awarded Fair Catch
« Reply #10 on: October 21, 2016, 09:06:04 AM »
KCI is always lurking especially with those soccer style kickers that can flop shot the ball into the air for an onside kick. I got burned last year because I didn't know all the details of KCI and neither did the crew I was working with. Never again!!. Free kicks and the kicking game have my full attention to say the least.

Side note:I love this forum and all of the dedicated rule hounds like myself. Great information, a great way to learn from other people missteps and a great way to correct your own. Talking rules with some of the guys I work with is kind of taboo or too nerdy for them I guess. I personally don't like looking or feeling like an idiot blowing easy calls. I've had something come up in a game almost every week that I've read about here and I feel prepared for those tricky situations.

Thanks everybody and good luck as we creep towards the post season.

Offline FLAHL

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Re: Awarded Fair Catch
« Reply #11 on: October 21, 2016, 11:58:03 AM »

Talking rules with some of the guys I work with is kind of taboo or too nerdy for them I guess.

 :!#
What?  Good for you for hanging out here. I've never met a good official who wasn't also a rules nerd. (But I have met some rules nerds who weren't good officials.)
« Last Edit: October 21, 2016, 12:06:02 PM by FLAHL »

Offline NewEra1005

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Re: Awarded Fair Catch
« Reply #12 on: October 21, 2016, 02:11:45 PM »
:!#
What?  Good for you for hanging out here. I've never met a good official who wasn't also a rules nerd. (But I have met some rules nerds who weren't good officials.)

Yeah I totally agree. I think it's the culture of the area I live in. Not as much competition to get up to the bigger games because we have a shortage of officials and our state association has a rating system that determines playoff eligibility. To me that really doesn't push us to study and truly understand the rules. Which is why you see some of the most basic things screwed up deep into the playoffs that cost teams games.

Sometimes I feel like I come off as a "know it all" but when I hear and see people butchering rules and or enforcing them the wrong way, I get twitchy. I just want my crew members and guys I work with on the regular to know what's going on.

In our state, once you reach a certain level of certification you really don't have to worry about studying all that hard if at all. In turn you see a lot of the guys that are in the 8+ years category, just quit opening their rule and case books. They have forgotten more than they know. Admittedly. This is year 5 for me and I'm focused on continuing to learn and ask questions about the game because as a player I understood the game very well because I studied. As an official I quickly found out that I didn't know much at all about the rules so it was a struggle to get where I am today.

 Guys with 15+ years come to me for help and on our crew I've become the go to guy on questionable calls during Friday night games. My only snag right now is getting a chance to see some of the things I've read about so I can be completely confident in my decisions on the field. I'm getting lots of game reps though and things are coming together nicely.

Offline AlUpstateNY

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Re: Awarded Fair Catch
« Reply #13 on: October 21, 2016, 02:54:11 PM »
WOW.  In most jobs, but ESPECIALLY with football officiating, the more you know about what you need to know, the easier and more enjoyable the job becomes.  One of our occupational hazards is that we encounter all sorts of people, at different levels, of not knowing what they're talking about and the easiest way to deal with these people is to have a firm knowledge of exactly what we're talking about.

Not bothering to really know the rules, or keeping current with changes, is almost like setting bridges you have yet to cross on fire, and you'll definitely get burned if you then have to cross them.

Offline NewEra1005

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Re: Awarded Fair Catch
« Reply #14 on: October 21, 2016, 03:02:57 PM »
WOW.  In most jobs, but ESPECIALLY with football officiating, the more you know about what you need to know, the easier and more enjoyable the job becomes.  One of our occupational hazards is that we encounter all sorts of people, at different levels, of not knowing what they're talking about and the easiest way to deal with these people is to have a firm knowledge of exactly what we're talking about.

Not bothering to really know the rules, or keeping current with changes, is almost like setting bridges you have yet to cross on fire, and you'll definitely get burned if you then have to cross them.

I completely agree. I DO NOT want to be the crew that cost a team a game EVER, let alone in the playoffs.