Author Topic: NFHS - Muff by R on Free Kick - Ball Rolls into End Zone  (Read 4210 times)

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Offline Gene2112

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NFHS - Muff by R on Free Kick - Ball Rolls into End Zone
« on: September 19, 2017, 10:54:37 PM »
 :patrioticon:  Hello All, I had a situation last week on the opening kick off of the 2nd 1/2... the ball hit the ground at R25, bounced up and "off the hands" (muff) of R21 before rolling into the end zone. 
I ruled touch back because there was no possession by R. 
Is this in fact the correct ruling?  I could not find the specific info in the rule book, and I know there is variance regarding NFHS/NCAA.  This was an NFHS game.
Thanks!
« Last Edit: September 19, 2017, 10:56:28 PM by Gene2112 »

Online GA Umpire

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Re: NFHS - Muff by R on Free Kick - Ball Rolls into End Zone
« Reply #1 on: September 19, 2017, 11:29:11 PM »
:patrioticon:  Hello All, I had a situation last week on the opening kick off of the 2nd 1/2... the ball hit the ground at R25, bounced up and "off the hands" (muff) of R21 before rolling into the end zone. 
I ruled touch back because there was no possession by R. 
Is this in fact the correct ruling?  I could not find the specific info in the rule book, and I know there is variance regarding NFHS/NCAA.  This was an NFHS game.
Thanks!
You got it correct.

You have to go to more than one rule.
2-24-2 states when a kick ends.
6-3-1 states it is a touchback when any kick goes into the end zone.

Table 6-4 may also help to get the correct ruling.

Offline Gene2112

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Re: NFHS - Muff by R on Free Kick - Ball Rolls into End Zone
« Reply #2 on: September 19, 2017, 11:57:04 PM »
Thank you so much!  You guys are the best.

 ^good

Offline Ralph Damren

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Re: NFHS - Muff by R on Free Kick - Ball Rolls into End Zone
« Reply #3 on: September 20, 2017, 07:21:06 AM »
Good  :thumbup rule of thumb  :thumbup as to was it a muff or catch & fumble:

If it had been a forward pass, would you have ruled it a catch ??

If yes, then it's a catch & fumble, kick's over, it is now open season on moose & footballs.

If no, then it's still a kick, K can recover but not advance and a kick is a kick, is a kick, is a kick....until to reaches R's end zone where it becomes a touchback.

IF unsure let play go, beanbag spot of K's possession and confer with crew for opinions. It's much easier to take the play back to the spot of K's recovery then to administer an inadvertent whistle.

Offline VALJ

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Re: NFHS - Muff by R on Free Kick - Ball Rolls into End Zone
« Reply #4 on: September 21, 2017, 08:15:10 AM »
A kick is a kick until it's no longer a kick.  A kick ends when it is possessed by a player, or the ball becomes dead by rule (out of bounds, crosses the plane of R's goal line, etc.)

If nothing has happened to end the kick, it's a touchback when it crosses R's goal line.