Rare Free Kick After Punt Is Winning Score

[GoodScout]

http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/blog/prep_rally/post/Rare-free-kick-leads-to-huge-last-minute-win-in?urn=highschool-wp7579

[azsteam]

I can't see the time but when does the clock start on this play?

[golfingref]

Clock would start the same as any free kick, when legally touched by K. Announcer states 16.7 seconds left. Therefore there would be the subsequent free kick at 16.7 seconds also.

[Atlanta Blue]

Clock would start the same as any free kick, when legally touched by K. Announcer states 16.7 seconds left. Therefore there would be the subsequent free kick at 16.7 seconds also.

Actually, when legally touched by R (or K after it has gone 10 yards).  So on this particular play, it wouldn't have started at all.

[James]

I wanted to post it, and found you already had. Nice that a former official tips them off and
"they had a heck of an ace up their sleeves" with his knowledge.

[Wingman]

sheesh..   how long did these guys to get setup??   It may be a free kick, but it's the very next play after the fair catch..    Spot the ball and start the 25 second clock!

Well, before ya'll start jumping down my throat, I suppose they could have called a timeout (if they had one).

Lets say that was the case..  no timeouts left .. how much time would *you* allow them to get setup?? I gotta hear this.

[Atlanta Blue]

Lets say that was the case..  no timeouts left .. how much time would *you* allow them to get setup?? I gotta hear this.

I'm GUESSING part of the delay wasn't the kicking team, but the officials.  I know when we tried this a few years ago, the officials huddled for a good 30 seconds before figuring out what they were going to do.

Once the official's huddle is over, toot the whistle and tell the teams to get out there.  Give them 10-15 seconds to get on the field, then blow it in if need be.  But it probably won't be blown in until the kicker is set, just like a kickoff.

But is an unusual enough of a play that there is probably going to be quite a bit of conversation between coach and officials as well as among officials that this is going to take a minute or so to get set up.

I guess a similar question is: how long to give a team on a kickoff?  Team typically huddles on the sideline until told to come on out.  Umpire (in our six man crews) counts the kicking team and if there is eleven, hands the ball to the kicker.  Kicker sets the tee and the ball on it and backs up, and THEN the RFP gets blown in.

[bigjohn]

If you saw the video, the R is under the goal post, is that the proper mechanics for a scoring kick?

[GoodScout]

If you saw the video, the R is under the goal post, is that the proper mechanics for a scoring kick?

It's a free kick, so I guess the crew went to a standard kickoff formation. You'd need to have officials holding the two restraining lines, and since there's no chance of roughing on the kicker, I see that as the logical place for the R. Since the defense could return the kick if it was short, that positioning would allow you to follow the ball back up the field. It's a great question, though. Hadn't thought about it. 

[Jason Kramer]

If you saw the video, the R is under the goal post, is that the proper mechanics for a scoring kick?

BJ with kicking team, LJ with receiving, R and U are under the posts.

[bigjohn]

Why wouldn't you use SCORING KICK mechanics?

[bigjohn]

I found it in print but I still think the R is not used to calling kicks Good-No Good.
http://www.snoafootball.com/Football_Rules.html


5.1.4 Free Kick after Fair Catch or Awarded Fair Catch
A free kick may be selected by the offensive team as the means for putting the ball in play following a fair catch or an awarded fair catch. The use of a free kick in this situation is a very
SNOA Football Mechanics, Rev. 1.2 - 8.11
5-6
rare event. The kick must be a place kick; a punt is not allowed. This is the only time a free kick may be used to score a field goal. Some additional mechanics are needed to prepare for this kick. Referee: Take a position on the receiving team’s end line near the upright opposite the press box. After acknowledging that all officials and both teams are ready, blow the whistle while giving the ready-for-play signal. Move quickly to a position behind the upright to determine whether the field goal attempt is good. You are responsible for the crossbar and to blow the whistle when the ball becomes dead in or beyond the end zone. Umpire: Take a position behind the receiving team’s upright nearest the press box to determine whether the field goal attempt is good. Linesman: Move the line to gain equipment to the spot of the fair catch. Set the box and chain stakes like any first down. The box identifies the kicking team’s free kick line. The stake at the line to gain spot marks the free kick line for the receiving team. After setting the chain, help align the receiving team behind their free kick line. Take the same relative sideline position as for a regular kickoff and follow all mechanics for a regular kickoff. Line Judge: Help align the kicking team behind their free kick line. Take the same relative sideline position as for a regular kickoff and follow all mechanics for a regular kickoff. Back Judge: There is no one-minute intermission between the fair catch and the free kick down. Hand the ball to the kicker who may place the ball anywhere along the free kick line and between the hash marks. Instruction the kicker to wait until the Referee marks the ball ready for play before kicking the ball. Follow all the mechanics for a regular kickoff.
The officials will execute all duties and responsibilities prescribed for a regular kickoff, except the Referee and Umpire will remain at the uprights if the kick approaches the end zone. If the kick is short of the goal line, the Referee and Umpire will move quickly toward their regular kickoff positions to cover players and activities on the field. REMINDER: All kickoff rules apply to a free kick following a fair catch or awarded fair catch even if the kick is a field goal attempt. These rules include the right of the kicking team to recover and possess the ball under certain conditions and the penalty options for kicks that go out of bounds untouched by a receiving team player.

[busman]

We modify this a bit.  We use only the R under the goal post.  At that length of a kick, he can move from the middle of the goalpost to either upright with ease.  We put the U on the goalline on the home sideline in the event of a short kick so he can determine if the ball breaks the plane and signal it dead (in NFHS).

[bama_stripes]

Our positioning (5-man) is:

L & B under posts like normal XP/FG
U has K's restraining line (press box side)
H has R's restraining line (chain side)
R is on goal line (chain side)

[Harry]

I wanted to post it, and found you already had. Nice that a former official tips them off and
"they had a heck of an ace up their sleeves" with his knowledge.

I recently did a game where a current official is a coach and they were asking for "too many men on the line of scrimmage", assisting the runner, and "12 men in the huddle."

I guess these guys got a more knowledgable official than the one that showed up at my game.

[bigjohn]

Don't you think it is a little silly to put the R under an upright when he is not used to making that call?

Normally it is the B and H, right?

[VALJ]

Depends on your location, John.  On a scrimmage kick, my association has B and L under the goal post, while H stays on his side and R slides over to take responsibility for L's side.

On a regular free kick, we have U with the kicker, H on R's restraining line, B on K's restraining line, and R and L deep.  So, for a free kick after fair catch, the only change is that R and L start under the goal posts, and the other three officials have their normal duties.  R is responsible for his upright, while L is responsible for his upright, the crossbar, and (if the kick is short of the goal post) the goal line as well.

[Tom.OH]

Don't you think it is a little silly to put the R under an upright when he is not used to making that call?

Normally it is the B and H, right?

John, you are in Ohio, we use the B & U under the GP.

[AlUpstateNY]

Don't you think it is a little silly to put the R under an upright when he is not used to making that call? Normally it is the B and H, right?

Most Varsity Referee's have at one time or another have gained some experience "making that call".  It's like riding a bike.

[Wingman]

......
I guess a similar question is: how long to give a team on a kickoff?  Team typically huddles on the sideline until told to come on out.  Umpire (in our six man crews) counts the kicking team and if there is eleven, hands the ball to the kicker.  Kicker sets the tee and the ball on it and backs up, and THEN the RFP gets blown in.

The timing is well defined in the standard NFHS mechaincs book, but of course not every one uses them making answering a mechaincs question that fits all shoes very difficult.  Just look at all the who's under the post and postion of the other officials for this once in a life time type of play.
That being said.. once the signal for the score that is successful (TRY or FG), start a 60 second clock and move to free kick positions. If teams are not out there by 45 seconds... a couple of toots alert the appropriate officials to get'm out there. By the time 60 seconds expires, a ready for play should be forthcoming.
But to be honest, I'm not going to sweat a few seconds (maybe up to five), and while it has not happened yet (knock knock), a delay could be the appropriate thing to do.

[busman]

Why 60 seconds?  They make their choice to kick, officials move to position, secure the ball, designate a spot, bow the RFP and start the 25 second clock.