1. Kicking Game Jim Healey Mike Hoffman

2. Neutral Zone

3. Fumble vs Muff

4. Snapper Protection

5. Kicking Game Definitions A kick is the intentional striking of the ball with the knee, lower leg, or foot. A kick ends when a player gains possession or when the ball becomes dead while not in player possession. A kicker is any player who legally punts, drop kicks, or place kicks. A player becomes a kicker when his knee, lower leg, or foot makes contact with the ball. He continues to be a kicker until he has had reasonable opportunity to regain his balance, or until after a free kick, he has advanced 5 yds beyond his free-kick line or the kick has touched the ground or any other player.

6. Place Kick Holder The ball remains live if a place kick holder with his knee(s) on the ground and with a teammate in kicking position (4-2-2a) –Catches or recovers the snap while his knee(s) is on the ground and places the ball for a kick, or if he rises to advance, hand, kick, or pass. –Rises and catches or recovers an errant snap and immediately returns his knee(s) to the ground and places the ball for a kick, or if he rises to advance, hand, kick, or pass.

7. Placeholder Restrictions

8. Play 1 K1 has one knee on the ground to hold for an apparent field-goal attempt. K2 is in position to kick. K1 catches the snap and: (a) places the ball which is kicked by K2; or (b) rises and either runs or passes; or (c) without rising, flips the ball to K2 who attempts to run.

9. Play 1 Ruling RULING: Legal in (a) and (b). In (c), the ball becomes dead immediately when K1 tosses it to K2while K1 has his knee on the ground.

10. Play 2 At the snap, K1 is in position to kick and K2 is in position to hold for a place kick with one knee on the ground. The snap is high or bounces once and it is necessary for K2 to lift his knee off the ground in order to catch or recover the ball. K2 catches the snap and: (a) immediately drops to one knee and places the ball for a kick; or (b) immediately drops to his knees and then rises and passes the ball; or (c) takes several steps and then drops to his knees to place the ball; or (d) takes several steps and fumbles the ball which is subsequently recovered and advanced by K1 or K2.

11. Play 2 Ruling RULING: The ball remains live in (a), (b) and (d). In (c), the ball is dead when K2's knee touches the ground, because he did not go back down immediately after catching or recovering the errant snap. In (d), the advance by K1 or K2 is legal. (4-2-2a Exception)

12. PSK Rule (2-16-2h) A foul by R when the foul occurs: –During a scrimmage kick play in which the ball crosses the expanded neutral zone –Beyond the expanded NZ –Before the end of the kick –And K will not be next to out the ball in play The basic spot is the spot where the kick ends (Bean Bag) Allows R to keep ball after enforcement of R’s penalty during the “window”

13. Provide Ruling

14. Case Play Fourth and five from K's 20-yard line, K is in an illegal formation at the snap. While K1's punt is in flight, beyond the expanded neutral zone, R2 blocks K8 in the back at the 50-yard line. R4 catches the kick at R's 36-yard line and returns it for a touchdown.

15. Case Play RULING: This is a PSK foul by R. Therefore, R may decline K's foul and keep the ball after enforcement of the 10-yard foul for the block in the back, or it may accept the penalty against K, thereby creating a double foul in which case the down shall be replayed. (10-2-1b)