1. Region One Football Officials Association
Rule Topics:
Kicking Game
We Are All Here to Learn

2. Overview (Rule 2-24)
Kick: intentional act to contact ball with knee, lower leg, or foot (Rule )
Kick is either in flight or grounded
Legal Kicks (Rule & )
Free kick (kick-off)
Scrimmage kick (punt, field goal)
Kick ends when player secures possession or ball becomes dead by rule (Rule )
Touch, muff, batt, or redirection DOES NOT end a kick
Muff: touching of loose ball by a player in an unsuccessful attempt to secure possession
Touchback when ANY Kick, which is not a scoring attempt, or which is a grounded 3-point field goal attempt breaks plane of R’s goal line
Golden Rules
#1: “A KICK IS A KICK UNTIL POSSESSED”
#2: “A TOUCHBACK IS OUR FRIEND”
Will not get into details of valid/invalid fair catches
Any other type of kick (except a try for extra point) is illegal
“dead by rule” will depend on the type of kick
In-flight or grounded is most important when considering force
Golden Rule #1: A KICK IS A KICK UNTIL POSSESSED – Kicking team can Never advance a kick
Golden Rule #2: A TOUCHBACK IS OUR FRIEND – kicks at the goal line, stick it in the endzone (don’t cross hairs on if they caught on the 2 inch line)

3. Fair Catch Summary
Fair Catch is a contract, initiated by receivers, whereby they agree to forego any opportunity to advance the kick in return for “unmolested opportunity to catch the kicked ball” (See Case Book d)
FC: catch by any receiver of scrimmage kick beyond the NZ or free kick in or beyond the NZ to the receiver’s goal line
To make a FC team R must give a valid signal
Only Receivers who have given a valid signal are protected
Ball is dead should others catch, but not a FC
Anytime valid or invalid FC signal is given, ball becomes dead when possession is obtained by either team beyond the NZ
After valid signal, ball must be caught to be a FC
A ball that touches the ground is not a FC
Scrimmage kick recovered BEHIND the NZ by K remains alive, even though R may have signaled
Any Receiver who has given a valid or invalid signal is prohibited from blocking until the kick has ended

4. Valid – Invalid – Illegal Signals
2-9-3: Valid FC signal is the extending & lateral waving of one arm, at full arm’s length above the head, by any member of the receiving team
2-9-4: Invalid FC signal is any signal by receiver before kick is caught or recovered: (5-yds - Invalid/Illegal signal #32)
That does not meet the requirements of a valid signal
After kick has touched a receiver
After kick has touched the ground
2-9-5: An illegal FC signal is any signal by a runner.
After kick has been caught
After kick has been recovered

5. 3 Ways to Legally Kick Ball
Place kick
Place on ground or tee
Can have a holder
Used for scrimmage kick, or any free kick
Punt
Used for scrimmage kick or free kick after safety
Drop kick

6. Momentum & 1st Touching
Momentum (Exception): Allows for the possibility a receiver may catch or recover a kick inside his 5 yard line & his momentum carries him into his own End Zone. If the ball becomes dead in the EZ, or is fumbled OOB from the EZ without returning to the field of play, R will put the ball in play from the spot of the catch.
1st touching is a violation which benefits the Receiving Team by giving them the option to take possession of the ball at the spot of 1st touching. 1st touching applies only when Team K touches the kick when they are not entitled to possess it. The right of R to take the ball at spot of 1st touching is cancelled if R touches the kick & subsequently commits a foul during the down or any foul during the down is accepted.

7. Free Kick (Rule 6-1) K’s free kick line
40-yd line for kick-off
20-yd line after safety
Yard line thru a fair catch (or awarded fair catch)
R’s free kick line is 10 yards apart
Kick can be made anywhere between hashs
Min. 4 players must be on each side of kicker
All K players (except kicker) must be within 5 yds of K’s free kick line

8. FK: What Can Happen (pt 1)
Encroachment by either team
Kick out of bounds untouched by R
Touchback - Kicked or muffed into R’s endzone
Momentum
“First Touching” if K touches ball before…
Ball goes 10 yards & touches R or ground, or
Touches R in NZ
R or K blocked into ball ignored (or K muffs ball into R)
Ball remains alive!!
When does clock start?
K may gain possession of free kick but cannot advance
Encroachment – dead ball so shut the play down immediately
Free Kick out of bounds untouched by R is a penalty (different than a scrimmage kick). Would this apply if it is a punt following a safety?
Momentum is a catch between a player 5 yard line and their goal line and the momentum carried them into the endzone. Have bean bag in hand and rule on it.
First touching is only by K, and you put down bean bag (it is not a penalty)

9. FK: What Can Happen (pt 2)
Fair catch by R in or beyond NZ
R always has right to catch kick in-flight
Batting: illegal by K or R
K cannot initiate bock on R until…
Ball gone 10 yds
K is eligible to recover
R initiates block
Kicker is protected from being blocked until…
He advances 5 yards, or
Ball has touched ground or player
Be alert for kick catch interference
K is eligible to recover when R touches ball

10. Scrimmage Kick (Rule 6-2)
Can have touchback & momentum
Fair catch by R beyond the NZ
Bat: K can bat ball (or catch) back toward K’s endzone if no R player is in position to catch ball
Some Reminders:
You can have numbering exceptions (Rule 7-2-5)
PSK fouls (Rule h)
Touching of ball by R in/behind the ExNZ is ignored
Neutral Zone Expanded (2 Yards) behind Defensive line
Numbering exceptions depending on the formation and the down.

11. SK: What Can Happen Missed field goal attempt
R muffs ball beyond the NZ
Recovered by K beyond the NZ
Recovered by K behind the NZ
Kick does not cross the NZ
K catches or recovers
R catch or recovers
R gives fair catch signal
Force
Blocked kick in flight is not a new force
Can have new force on grounded kick

12. Case Plays Video #3: Blocking after fair catch signal
Video #6: Muffed Kick
Video #12: First Touching
Video #14: Touching behind the line
Video 3, Note the position of the LJ (I think he need to stay with the signaler and the BJ stays with the ball and spot)
Video 4, notice position of U, and did BJ drop the bean bag at the end of the kick? (the 3rd replay is messed up on video)

13. Questions