rdc1214Nov 4, 2011
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Location: Fayetteville, NC
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Adgbi, It is just like a kickoff except you can score.
TheSkipper14Nov 4, 2011
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Location: Garner, NC
Joined: Aug, 2009
Posts: 3000
Fair catch kicks are permitted in the National Football League and at the high school level. Under National Federation of State High School Associations rules, a fair catch kick can be attempted under more circ*mstances; the option remains available if a dead ball foul occurs before the next play, or if a live ball foul occurs which leads to a replay of the down.[citation needed] Fair catch kicks are not permitted at the collegiate level under NCAA rules.[1]
justkickitNov 3, 2011
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Location: Youngsville, NC
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Posts: 250
Does the turnover of possession after the (failed) free kick occur from the point the kick was attempted or at the spot the ball is fielded/returned? I would assume a successful free kick is followed by a kickoff by the scoring team.
How bout ya durhamfbfan whats your take?
rdc1214Nov 2, 2011
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Location: Fayetteville, NC
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Posts: 109
ADgbj, With the free kick you are right but they also give up possesion when they kick it. The great majority of time you see this, and truthfully I think I have seen it once in NFL, College,High School. It is the last play of a half or game with a strong kicker. To answer your question once they kick it their possesion is over.
dfmlythrNov 2, 2011
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Location: Fuquay-Varina, NC
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Posts: 2076
(TheVoiceOfReason What about Face paint/body paint, having more than 1 flag, and noise makers? It seems that half the school's follow these rules and the others don't.)
(I have not seen many kids kicking the ball 60 plus yards into the endzone anyways this year.)
Not trying to be funny SC kicker can kick it out the endzone! 1st kicker I've seen do that this year... So u are right...
justkickitNov 2, 2011
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Location: Youngsville, NC
Joined: Sep, 2011
Posts: 250
Does anybody (maybe durhamfbfan) know if the free kick is applicable to HS football?
I understand it to be when a punt receiver fair catches (must happen) and requests a free kick from the point of fair catch (spotted between the hashes). The ref awards such. The team receiving the punt via fair catch lines up as if a kickoff, but attempts a FG. 3 points if successful as per a FG, returnable if missed, or touchback if into the endzone.
In any case the team attempting the free kick would loose possession, short of a turnover on the attempted return of the free kick.
Is any or all of this correct? Thanks.
CapFanNov 2, 2011
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Location: Raleigh, NC
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Posts: 215
There's another HS rule that's not in sync with college or the pros. If a FG attempt is missed and the ball goes into the endzone, the ball is placed at the 20, not at the spot of the kick.
If a ball crosses the plane of the goal line on a missed field goal, it would be a touchback and the opposing team will start at the 20-yard line.
Any kick crossing the goal line is automatically a touchback; kicks cannot be returned out of the end zone.
justkickitNov 2, 2011
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Location: Youngsville, NC
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I disagree with some of your comments Mr voiceofreason, but I WILL agree that if a returner attempts to catch the ball and fails to secure possession it should be a live ball. Coaches should reaffirm the rule with their receivers that it is a touchback in the endzone regardless and not attempt to field the ball kicked over the goal line period. Risky move if a ref is uncertain of the ruling.
teammugsNov 2, 2011
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Location: Raleigh, NC
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Posts: 5161
If the receiving team touches the ball in the field of play and it goes into the end zone it should still be a live ball, IMO...if the receiving team fields the ball and backs into or runs in the end zone during the return should it be a touchback? I don't think so...but those are the rules right?
TheVoiceOfReasonNov 2, 2011
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Location: Cary, NC
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Posts: 229
When the returner fails to catch the ball, it's a stupid rule no matter whose rule it is. If it only applied when the returner caught the ball, I would be altogether onboard with it. As I said before, first & foremost, you MUST catch the ball.
tgrindleNov 2, 2011
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Location: Broadway, NC
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Posts: 51
The touch back rule is not a NC rule, it is a NHSF rule which i think all states follow except Texas and Florida which follow NCAA rules
justkickitNov 2, 2011
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Location: Youngsville, NC
Joined: Sep, 2011
Posts: 250
You should see Bunns Sophom*ore kicker #80 Freeman Jones with 9 touchbacks this year. Its no mute point to them I promise. He and his team are grateful the Boot can be rewarded for those well hit kickoffs. He even had a ref tell him if the kick was a judgement call he would let the returner come out with the ball!
comet88Nov 2, 2011
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Location: Clayton, NC
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Posts: 276
I personally would like to see the rule changed to allowing the return man to run the ball out of the endzone. Of course if it goes out the back it would be an automatic touchback and the ball brought to the 20yd line. However, if the returner fails to catch the ball or recover the ball in the endzone then it would be a live ball for the kicking team to try and recover for the TD. Just my thoughts. I have not seen many kids kicking the ball 60 plus yards into the endzone anyways this year. So the point is probably mute.
lakersfan2012Nov 2, 2011
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Location: Wake Forest, NC
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TheVoiceOfReason What about Face paint/body paint, having more than 1 flag, and noise makers? It seems that half the school's follow these rules and the others don't.
TheVoiceOfReasonNov 2, 2011
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Location: Cary, NC
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I still say it's ridiculous, and you have failed to make a point, durham. In fact, I agree 100% with everything you've said. That's mainly because you didn't address the situation of the returner dropping the kick. First & foremost, if you are a kick returner, you must catch the ball. If you fail to catch it, all bets are off. In that situation, you aren't rewarding the kicker (or his team), you are rewarding the team with the bad returner. Basically, you're giving them 7 points (and the ball).
durhamfbfanNov 2, 2011
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Location: Durham, NC
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That is the rule as tgrindle indicated.
Would have to disagree with TheVoice... Don't think at the HS level it's ridiculous. A few reasons. First, this isn't the NFL or college for that matter, I don't have the stats, but I would imagine that over 70% of HS kickoffs are returned. So the reality is that this isn't the 'issue' some have indicated with regards to rule changes in the NFL this year. Second, I personally like the fact that it rewards teams that have a strong kicker. Third, for those that may be following the concussion/head injury discussion - this may not be a bad thing - I'll leave that right there as it's a complicated subject all to itself.
the DFBFan via Bull City Football for Starters (BCF4S)
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TheVoiceOfReasonNov 2, 2011
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Location: Cary, NC
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That's the most ridiculous rule I've ever heard. Sure, if he catches the ball in the endzone, I can understand not allowing it to be brought out. However, you should at least have to catch the ball. Why would you reward a team for dropping the ball.
We might as well just not kick off at all, and just give them ball on the 20.
tgrindleNov 2, 2011
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Location: Broadway, NC
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Yes, once the ball crosses the goaline its a touchback, this also includes FG attempts.
TheVoiceOfReasonNov 2, 2011
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Location: Cary, NC
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On a kickoff, if the ball is kicked into the endzone, but not out the back, is it an automatic touchback? What if the return team doesn't catch the ball?
Here is why I ask. I was at a game a couple weeks ago. On a kickoff, the ball went to the endzone. The return man botched the catch. It went right through his hands, hit the ground, then bounced out of the endzone to about the 2 or 3 yard line (I can't remember exactly, but it was on the playing field). A member of the kicking team picked the ball up and ran it into the endzone.
In my opinion, given the scenario I just described, there are only 2 possible results:
1. The kicking team gets the ball where it was recovered.
2. The kicking team gets 6 points.
Neither of these 2 things happened. The return team (the one that failed to catch the ball) got the ball on the 20. The referee stated, "If the ball goes into the endzone, it's an automatic touchback."
Is that really the rule?
