Whats th Ruling

[WVABJ1807]

Gentlemen,

We had a long dicussion about this play at our meeting last week and wanted to get your interpretation on it.  If a kickoff bounces and then hits the pylon.  What is the ruling a Touchback, or a penalty for a kick going out of bounds? 

[El Macman]

Gentlemen,

We had a long dicussion about this play at our meeting last week and wanted to get your interpretation on it.  If a kickoff bounces and then hits the pylon.  What is the ruling a Touchback, or a penalty for a kick going out of bounds?

A foul for a free kick out of bounds only applies to kicks that go out of bounds between the goal lines. The plyon is out of bounds behind the goal line. When a ball touches a pylon, it is out of bounds behind that goal line (and dead, of course). So, assuming no new impetus is applied to the ball, it is either a touchback or a safety, depending on the goal line. It is not a foul for a free kick out bounds.

And it doesn't matter if the ball flies, bounces, or rolls into the pylon - it is still out of bounds behind that goal line.

Did you win the bet?

[ret66482]

Don"t have rule book with me but, I remember reading in Rule 4 that a ball that touches the pylon is out of bounds behind the goal line.  With that being said it would be a touchback.  What did the majority of your group think?

[mbyron]

NFHS: A free kick that touches the pylon before touching anything else out of bounds results in a touchback. 4-3-2

[losthog]

NFHS: A free kick that touches the pylon before touching anything else out of bounds results in a touchback. 4-3-2

If a ball touches anypart of the pylon it is considered inbounds and in the endzone.  touchback.

[James]

losthog - check your comment.
For NF (as mbyron wrote)
4-3-2 If the ball touches a pylon, it is out of bounds behind the goal line.
for NCAA
4.2.3.b. A ball that touches a pylon is out of bounds behind the goal line.

It is a touchbakc, but it is not considered inbounds.