Kick catch interference?

[Etref]

Don't have any video yet, hoping for some on HUDL later.

5 man crew (TX HS) on kickoff with R and L deep. U & B at Kicking team restraining with H at Receiver restraining line.

Pooch kick goes to L side of field. Receiver 52 is at the 48 and signals fair catch. Kicking team player leaps and catches the kick at the 50. Receiving team player is never touched and from angles we had no one invades the 1 yard zone in front of him.


What do you have?

[mishatx]

Probably KCI.

Approved Ruling 6-4-1
I. A Team A player catches a free kick very near receiver B25, thus
preventing him from making the catch. RULING: Kick-catch
interference. Penalty—15 yards from the spot of the foul.

[NVFOA_Ump]

Probably KCI.

Would have to agree that as described this sounds like KCI.  Once B gives FC signal, B has an unobstructed right to the ball, contact is not required for KCI.  That being said, this one is a "you have to see it" to make the judgment call as to A interfering with that right to the ball.

[Diablo]

Don't have any video yet, hoping for some on HUDL later.

5 man crew (TX HS) on kickoff with R and L deep. U & B at Kicking team restraining with H at Receiver restraining line.

Pooch kick goes to L side of field. Receiver 52 is at the 48 and signals fair catch. Kicking team player leaps and catches the kick at the 50. Receiving team player is never touched and from angles we had no one invades the 1 yard zone in front of him.

If the Team A player did not make a play on the ball, could B52 have caught it?

[Etref]

He could have caught the ball. Like I said from the angles the kicking team player really came no where close to the receiver, just snatched the ball in mid-air while the receiver was standing waiting for the ball.

[TXMike]

Would have to agree that as described this sounds like KCI.  Once B gives FC signal, B has an unobstructed right to the ball, contact is not required for KCI.  That being said, this one is a "you have to see it" to make the judgment call as to A interfering with that right to the ball.

B does not have to give the FC signal to get that unobstructed right

[Diablo]

He could have caught the ball. Like I said from the angles the kicking team player really came no where close to the receiver, just snatched the ball in mid-air while the receiver was standing waiting for the ball.

And it appears B52 was attempting to catch the ball versus looking to his folks in the stands or something akin.  Then, I say the Team A player illegally impeded B52.

What did y'all do?

[Wes71ref]

We got it wrong. Had the thinking that b52 never attempted to catch the ball he just stood there and team A player jumped up more than one yard away from him caught the ball on the 50. He came straight down to the ground. I believe we got it wrong just weird one.

[Diablo]

We got it wrong. Had the thinking that b52 never attempted to catch the ball he just stood there and team A player jumped up more than one yard away from him caught the ball on the 50. He came straight down to the ground. I believe we got it wrong just weird one.

Don't whip yourselves too much.  As you said, it was a "weird one".  A significant number of us reading this would have kicked it as well.  Your posting the play may allow one of us to nail the call later in the season.
Thanks.

[copedaddy]

We all kick calls that catch us by suprise, bet y'all don't miss it again.

[blindref757]

With the B on the 40 to watch K's restraining line, and the L deep (it wasn't an obvious short kick situation), how can any crew judge a 1-yard halo violation at the 49 that quickly? 

It wasn't missed because nobody had the courage to call it or because it was too hard to judge.  It was missed because there was nobody in good position due to the written mechanics manual. 

I think TASO should have 2 officials on the 50 and only 1 on K's restraining line (40).  That would give us two deep for covering downfield kicks and 2 to protect the R's front line in onside situations...at all times.  Since the TASO switch to having 2 on the 40, we have not called offsides on K any more often IMHO.

[TXMike]

Halo has nothing to do with this play nor does positioning of officials.  He said Team A grabbed the ball while it was in the air preventing B from making the play on the ball.  It does not matter if A was "in the halo" or not.  They cannot do this. 

[blindref757]

I agree with your comments on the halo...but don't see your point about positioning of officials.  Who is in position to make this call at the 50 on the home side with TASO 5-man mechanics?  B?  It is a natural hole in our mechanics and there is an easy fix...put 2 on the 50 and 1 on the 40 every kickoff.

[TXMike]

If you can't see the obvious KCI by a Team A player leaping in the air and catching the kick from the Team A 40 then I am not sure you will ever be able to see that .  That is an easy call.

[Etref]

We all kick calls that catch us by suprise, bet y'all don't miss it again.

You are correct, will not make that mistake again. BTW, I have let the coach know we blew it.