Punt rule clarification

[Jumper_Dad]

How many white hats would call this correctly? Should the coach give the ref a heads up?

[Zone Coverage]

Situation:

 

Time 1:40 remains in the 4th Quarter.

4th and 30

Ball on team K's own 19 yard.

 

Team K leads 28-22.

 

 

Team K lines up to punt the ball. The K's punter lines up at his own 7 yard line to punt the ball (12 yards behind the LOS) and actually kicks the ball from near his own 10 yard line. Team K's punter kicks the ball practically straight up in the air very hight and to the right and the ball travels approximately 10 yards in front of the punter. The ball lands at the LOS (19 yard line) or just behind the LOS.

 

Team R's players retreat from the ball yelling "Peter, Peter, Peter" because the ball is kicked so short. The ball just sits on the field for what seems like eternity and everyone assumes that Team K is not trying to kill the ball because the clock is running and they are clinging to a SIX point lead.

 

Finally a player from team K races over and picks up the football and returns it 81 yards for a touchdown.

 

 

 

Can someone please explain what just happened and point me in the right direction in the rule book that explains this.

 

 

Am I correct to assume that if a scrimmage kick does not travel to the LOS or beyond that team K can advance the kick.

 

I don't think anyone has asked this question yet, but I believe that it's important; how long did the ball remain motionless on the ground before K picked it up and returned it for a TD? Could one of the officials have ruled that the ball was dead, and therefore it could have be awarded to R? :confused:

[FAIRDALE KINGS]

The ball remained motionless on the ground for 2-3 seconds before the K team picked it up and advanced it toward their end zone for an 81 yard touchdown.

[Zone Coverage]

The ball remained motionless on the ground for 2-3 seconds before the K team picked it up and advanced it toward their end zone for an 81 yard touchdown.

 

What about it Offside, did the ball remain motionless long enough to possibly rule that the ball was dead and award it to R?

[crunch2376]

What about it Offside, did the ball remain motionless long enough to possibly rule that the ball was dead and award it to R?

 

NFHS:

6-2-7

"When any scrimmage kick is out of bounds between the goal lines or becomes dead inbounds between the goal lines while no player is in possession, or inbounds anywhere while opponents are in joint possession, the is awarded to R. Following an out-of-bounds kick, the ball is put in play at the inbounds spot unless R chooses a spot of first touching."

[crunch2376]

Also,

4-2-e-2:

The ball becomes dead and the down is ended when any loose ball is on the ground motionless and no player attempts to secure possession.

 

2-3 (loose ball play definition)

A loose ball is a pass, fumble or a kick. The terms "pass, "fumble" and "kick" are sometimes used as abbreviation when the ball is loose following the acts of passing, fumbling or kicking the ball. A loose ball which has not yet touched the ground is in flight. A grounded loose ball is one which has touched the ground. Any loose ball continues to be a loose ball until a player secures possession of it or until it becomes dead by rule, chichever comes first.

 

I WAS NOT AT THE GAME NOR HAVE I SEEN THIS PLAY......with that being said, the covering official must not have ruled that the ball was dead by rule. If he had, he wouldn't have let K advance the ball.

[offside]

What about it Offside, did the ball remain motionless long enough to possibly rule that the ball was dead and award it to R?

 

Rule 4-2-2...The ball becomes dead and the down is ended:

e. When any loose ball...is on the ground motionless and no player attempts to secure possession.

 

I didn't see the play, but I think I'd have a pretty slow whistle in order to determine that no player was making an attempt to secure possession. And I imagine it took a second or two for the players to realize that the whistle had not sounded yet.

 

In which game did this happen?

 

(Great avatar, crunch).

[Zone Coverage]

Rule 4-2-2...The ball becomes dead and the down is ended:

e. When any loose ball...is on the ground motionless and no player attempts to secure possession.

 

I didn't see the play, but I think I'd have a pretty slow whistle in order to determine that no player was making an attempt to secure possession. And I imagine it took a second or two for the players to realize that the whistle had not sounded yet.

 

In which game did this happen?

 

(Great avatar, crunch).

 

Speaking of blowing whistles, I am starting to notice more and more that some officials don't even blow the whistle at the end of a play. Sometimes there is nothing but silence ? Why?

[crunch2376]

Speaking of blowing whistles, I am starting to notice more and more that some officials don't even blow the whistle at the end of a play. Sometimes there is nothing but silence ? Why?

 

A play becomes dead when dead by rule.

 

Notice the last sentence of rule 2-3:

"Any loose ball continues to be a loose ball until a player secures possession of it or until it becomes dead by rule, whichever comes first."

 

Although the whistle can cause the play to be over, the ball becoming dead by rule is what actually ends the play.

[Zone Coverage]

A play becomes dead when dead by rule.

 

Notice the last sentence of rule 2-3:

"Any loose ball continues to be a loose ball until a player secures possession of it or until it becomes dead by rule, whichever comes first."

 

Although the whistle can cause the play to be over, the ball becoming dead by rule is what actually ends the play.

 

Thanks Crunch! "That's good to know!"

[offside]

Speaking of blowing whistles, I am starting to notice more and more that some officials don't even blow the whistle at the end of a play. Sometimes there is nothing but silence ? Why?

 

When the ball becomes dead, an official sounds his whistle. However, it is the act itself which causes the ball to become dead; the whistle merely announces that something has happened to cause the ball to become dead. About the only time the whistle actually causes the ball to become dead is in a situation where an official erroneously or inadvertently sounds it. Of course, if the whistle is sounded while the ball is still live, it causes the ball to become dead immediately.

 

Officials must actually see the ball in possession of a runner who is down, or for whom forward progress is stopped. If we can't see the ball, we can't confirm that the runner is down. We often cannot see the ball on short dives up the middle until the play is well over.

 

Long touchdowns or long incomplete passes sometimes don't get a whistle at all.

 

The old coaching adage of "play till you hear the whistle" is mostly good, but players need to understand that a whistle will sometimes be late or not sounded at all.

Edited October 20, 2008 by offside

[Zone Coverage]

When the ball becomes dead, an official sounds his whistle. However, it is the act itself which causes the ball to become dead; the whistle merely announces that something has happened to cause the ball to become dead. About the only time the whistle actually causes the ball to become dead is in a situation where an official erroneously or inadvertently sounds it. Of course, if the whistle is sounded while the ball is still live, it causes the ball to become dead immediately.

 

Officials must actually see the ball in possession of a runner who is down, or for whom forward progress is stopped. If we can't see the ball, we can't confirm that the runner is down. We often cannot see the ball on short dives up the middle until the play is well over.

 

Long touchdowns or long incomplete passes sometimes don't get a whistle at all.

 

The old coaching adage of "play till you hear the whistle" is mostly good, but players need to understand that a whistle will sometimes be late or not sounded at all.

 

The dreaded inadvertent whistle!!!! :eek: :scared::irked: What a wonderful explanation on whistle mechanics Offside! You ought to be a teacher. Thanks! :thumb:

[offside]

Et tu, Brute?

[Zone Coverage]

Et tu, Brute?

 

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: "'There but for the grace of God..." :lol:

[FAIRDALE KINGS]

 

In which game did this happen?

 

(Great avatar, crunch).

 

 

Fairdale @ Doss Friday night. Doss was leading 28-22 when the play occurred. Fairdale had rallied from a 22-3 deficit in the 4th Quarter and had an opportunity to tie the game with a touchdown.... or possibly win with an extra point.