Kansas vs Mizzou free kick

[Imperial Stout]

After a TD, Mizzou was penalized for UNS to be enforced on the kickoff.  On that kickoff, Mizzou put the ball in play with a punt from the 20.  That is a bit of an oversight there. From the 20, it looks like a free kick after a safety, but it sure as heck wasn't one. 

[ElvisLives]

After a TD, Mizzou was penalized for UNS to be enforced on the kickoff.  On that kickoff, Mizzou put the ball in play with a punt from the 20.  That is a bit of an oversight there. From the 20, it looks like a free kick after a safety, but it sure as heck wasn't one.

Sadly, that crew will be sitting down this week.

[zebrastripes]

Sadly, that crew will be sitting down this week.

Why sadly? Pretty egregious IMO for eight officials plus the AO plus replay to be asleep on this.

[dammitbobby]

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/46206255/big-12-pulls-officiating-crew-week-3-assignment-rules-gaff

[dammitbobby]

2-16-6 A kickoff is a free kick that starts each half and follows each try or successful field goal attempt (Exception: In extra periods). It must be a place kick or a drop kick.

Does anyone know the history or rationale for why this must be a place kick or drop kick, but cannot be a punt?

[ElvisLives]

Why sadly? Pretty egregious IMO for eight officials plus the AO plus replay to be asleep on this.

I didn’t say it wasn’t appropriate, just sad that it has to happen. But, I am like you - this is an egregious error, and the crew needs to be held accountable.
I just wish coaches and players were held to the same standards of accountability.

From a preventive officiating perspective, if I saw the kicker holding the ball when/after the R had declared the ball ready for play, I would immediately get on the O2O and ask if this guy is planning to drop kick? He can do that. But he can’t punt it. If I see the guy taking steps to punt, I would hammer down on my whistle and stop the action, and find out what is going on. The fact that no one did anything would tell me that no one recognized the illegality of the punt, which is unacceptable.

[peterparsons]

2-16-6 A kickoff is a free kick that starts each half and follows each try or successful field goal attempt (Exception: In extra periods). It must be a place kick or a drop kick.

Does anyone know the history or rationale for why this must be a place kick or drop kick, but cannot be a punt?

Possibly lost in the mists of time. From reading Anatomy of a Game, there is reference to something called a kick-out being changed in 1886 to be either a place kick or a drop kick, having previously been only a drop kick (from 1876), and that probably came from rugby union where a kickoff has to be a drop kick. There's also reference to something called a punt-out, which was a separate thing.

[dammitbobby]

I have that book as well and couldn't find anything in there about it either. I do wish they explained the kickouts a little better though.

[Imperial Stout]

Here was the response from the head coach:

So, why did Missouri break the rule?

“We just wanted to see if we could,” MU coach Eli Drinkwitz said. “It's like asking your parents if you can do something that you know they probably shouldn't let you do but sometimes they might get it wrong.”

https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/sports/college/tiger-extra/2025/09/09/missouri-just-wanted-to-see-if-we-could-on-play-that-got-big-12-officials-suspended/85922734007/

This attitude is commonplace, but doesn't make it any less irritating.

[MAFBRef]

From an article in The Athletic, coach says they asked the crew if they could punt and was told they could.

“ Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz asked the officials if the Tigers could punt the kickoff but knew it was against the rules.

“Just wanted to see if we could,” Drinkwitz said today at his weekly news conference. “It’s like asking your parents if you can do something that you know they probably shouldn’t let you do. But sometimes they get it wrong.

“We told them (the officiating crew) they’d screwed up a lot of stuff in the game. That was just one of them. But kudos to (special teams coach Eric) Link. He asked if we could do that, just because we had seen in the pregame where they struggled with the sun and the fielding punts and knew that that was only allowable after a safety; that’s the only time you get a free kick. Other than that, you can either drop kick or use a tee. So, they said yes. What were we supposed to say?”

[ElvisLives]

There is a very small percentage of coaches that are exceptions, but the vast, vast majority of coaches don’t give one crap about sportsmanship, integrity, and playing by the rules, and this proves it. They KNEW it was not legal, not right, and outside all concepts of sportsmanship to try this. But they consciously and deliberately played outside the rules, all in the name of getting a “W.” Disgusting.
No, that doesn’t excuse the game officials for not knowing the rules, and allowing this to happen. But, shame on the coaches for putting the officials in this position.

[Kalle]

The Football Code, section Coaching Ethics, starts with: Deliberately teaching players to violate the rules is indefensible.

I wonder if there will be any repercussions for Drinkwitz for blatantly violating that ethic. OK, I lie, I don't wonder, there won't be any.