“Onsides Kicks” Rules Considerations

“Onsides Kicks”Rules Considerations Mike Pasenelli Capital Area Chapter PIAA Football Officials 11 September 2010

OUR MISSION • Review the rules relating to onsides kicks • Show that we are familiar with those rules by answering the quiz questions correctly • Review several film clips

Agenda • Quick review of the last 3 weeks • Onsides kick presentation • Film study

Last 3 Weeks • We reviewed basic spots and the all-but-one principle • We discussed the differences between running plays and loose-ball plays • We discussed fouls simultaneous with the snap and dead ball fouls • We discussed the fouls and changes of possession (COP’s) and the Clean Hands Principle

All-But-One Principle BASIC SPOT DEFENSIVE FOUL BEHIND BASIC SPOT DEFENSIVE FOUL BEYOND BASIC SPOT OFFENSIVE FOUL BEHIND BASIC SPOT ENFORCED FROM THE SPOT OF THE FOUL OFFENSIVE FOUL BEYOND BASIC SPOT TEAM A DIRECTION

Continuous Series Of Live/Dead Balls END OF DOWN READY FOR PLAY SNAP OR FREE KICK DEAD BALL LIVE BALL DEAD BALL

Fouls and Changes of Possession • We are not talking about PSK fouls-we will cover that in another session • This can be confusing, so keep in mind: • If a penalty is accepted, the ball belongs to the team in possession when the foul occurred (5-2-1)

Clean Hands Principle B GETS THE A HAS THE LOSES POSSESSION THEN B FOULS B got the ball with clean hands

Clean Hands Principle B GETS THE A HAS THE LOSES POSSESSION B fouls B got the ball with dirty hands

Onsides Kicks-Background • There is no specific mention of onsides kicks in the rule book or case book • Generally accepted meaning: • A free kick that is very short • Can be done by accident or by design • We will go through several of the pertinent rules concerning onsides kicks, and then look at some video clips

Onsides Kicks-K Formations/Restrictions • All K players must be inbounds and behind the ball until it is kicked, with the exception of the kicker and holder (2-24-3) • There are no other restrictions on K’s formation

Onsides Kicks-R Formations/Restrictions • All R players must be inbounds and behind their free kick line, which is 10 yards from K’s free kick line ball, until it is kicked (6-1-1) • There are no other restrictions on R’s formation

Neutral Zone • The space between the K and R free kick lines is the neutral zone (2-28-1) • Since it says space, that means there are 2 planes: • The K free kick line and • The R free kick line • Going into the space prior to the ball being kicked is encroachment (6-1-3) • The kicker and holder are exempted from this restriction (2-24-3) • After the ball is kicked, players may enter the neutral zone

First Touching • If K touches the ball before R does, and before it has gone 10 yards, K has committed a violation called “first touching” (2-12-1) • This is not a foul, so no flag is thrown • We do not blow the whistle, just throw the bean bag • We do not wind the clock for first touching (3-4-1, 3-4-3) • Note: if R pushes or blocks a K player into contact with the ball, that touching is ignored (6-1-6), but this only applies in the neutral zone

First Touching-Implications • As long as R does not: • Touch the ball and subsequently foul, and • There are no offsetting penalties, and • There are no penalties for player fouls, then • R has the right to take the ball at the spot of first touching

R Touching-Implications • If R touches the ball before K, first touching by K no longer applies, even if the ball has not gone 10 yards • But: if R’s touching is caused by K pushing R into the ball or a K player muffs the ball into an R player in the neutral zone, we ignore that touching by R

Catch Or Recovery By K • If any K player catches or recovers a free kick, the ball becomes dead (4-2-2f, 6-1-5) • The ball belongs to K unless: • The catch or recovery is kick catching interference • The catch or recovery is first touching • Any K player may recover a free kick if it has both: • Touched the ground and • Goes beyond the plane of R’s free kick line

Kick Catching Interference(6-5-6) • If any K player touches or catches a free kick in flight that was not touched by R, it is kick catching interference unless it was caused by R blocking him into the ball • It does not matter if there is any R player in position to catch the kick • While the free kick is in flight, K shall not touch R, unless blocked into the ball or R, or to ward off a blocker • While the free kick is in flight, K shall not obstruct R’s path to the ball

Catch Or Recovery By R • Any R player may catch or recover a free kick in the field of play and advance, unless an R player has given a valid/invalid fair catch signal

Blocking By K (6-5-6) • While any free kick is in flight, K shall not: • Touch the ball or R, unless blocked into the ball or R, or to ward off a blocker; or • Obstruct R’s path to the ball • If K touches the kick in flight, or obstructs R’s path to the ball while the ball is in flight, it is kick catching interference • So, after the ball has hit the ground, these restrictions end

Blocking By R • The kicker or holder may not be blocked until: • They have advanced 5 yards beyond their free kick line; or • The kick has touched the ground or any other player

Blocking Summary • All restrictions on blocking end when the ball hits the ground • If the ball is in flight, K can not block R except to ward off a blocker

Signaling For A Fair Catch (2-9-4) • Any R player can signal for a fair catch in or beyond the neutral zone until: • The kick has touched the ground • The kick has touched a receiver • So, if R signals for a fair catch after the ball has hit the ground, we have an invalid fair catch signal • If any R player signals for a fair catch, R surrenders the right to advance the ball (6-5-3)

Effect of R Touching The Kick • As long as it is not caused by K blocking R into the kick while in the neutral zone, or muffing the kick into R in the neutral zone, then • We can not have first touching by K (2-12-1) • K may touch, catch or recover the ball • K can block R • K can obstruct R’s path to the ball

Effect of The Ball Hitting the Ground • K may recover the kick if it has also gone beyond the plane of R’s free kick line • If it has not gone beyond the plane, we still have first touching by K (unless touched by R first) • K can block R • K can obstruct R’s path to the ball

Winding The Clock • The clock starts when the ball is touched, other than first touching by K • So, if K touches the ball after it has gone 10 yards, we wind • If R touches the ball, we wind (unless we ignore the touching)

Onsides Kick Out Of Bounds • We still have the same rules and options if the onsides kick goes out of bounds • If the ball was touched inbounds by R, R puts the ball in play at the inbounds spot • If the ball was not touched inbounds by R, R has the usual 3 options: • Accept the result of the down, putting the ball in play at the inbounds spot • Re-kick after a 5 yard penalty • Take the ball 25 yards from the previous spot at the inbounds spot

Situation #1 (6.1.5B) • K’s free kick is bouncing on the ground in the neutral zone where R1 and K1 are engaged in blocking one another. K2 muffs the ball and the ball touches R1 on the leg and K3 recovers the ball. • RULING: The touching by R is ignored and R will be awarded possession of the ball at the spot of first touching or at the dead-ball spot.

Situation #2 (6.1.6B) • The ball is free kicked from K’s 40-yard line and in flight, it crosses the 50-yard line before a strong wind blows it back to K’s 45 where it: • (a) is touched in flight by K1, or • (b) touches the ground and is recovered by K2. • RULING: Kick-catching interference in (a), first and 10 for K in (b). • COMMENT: The free-kick lines marking the neutral zone for K and R are vertical planes. When the free kick penetrates R’s free-kick line in flight, it is considered to have gone the required 10 yards. If it also has touched the ground, before or after going 10 yards, it can be recovered, but not advanced by K. (6-1-5)

Situation #3 (6.1.6A) • A free kick from K’s 40 is high and comes down over K’s 45 where it is muffed in flight by K2 after which it is recovered by K3 on R’s 40. • RULING: This is first touching and also kick-catching interference by K2. R may choose to take the ball at the spot of first touching, accept the 15-yard penalty for kick-catching interference and have K rekick or R may choose to accept the penalty of an awarded fair catch at the spot of the interference. • COMMENT: The clock will not be started when there is first touching of a free kick. The purpose is to prevent the kickers from taking advantage by touching the ball to start the clock and thereby deny the receivers the opportunity of putting the ball in play. The exception ”the clock not start with first touching,” is protection for the receiving team and is consistent with the philosophy that the receiving team be given an opportunity of putting the ball in play following a free kick. (3-4-1; 6-5-4, 6)

Situation #4 (6.5.1.B) • K1 attempts an onside kick from his own 40, but instead of causing the ball to strike the ground and bounce, he pops it up into the air. R1 signals for a fair catch while the kick is in flight and catches the ball: • (a) before it crosses R’s free-kick line; or • (b) after it has gone beyond R’s free-kick line. • RULING: R1 has made a fair catch in both (a) and (b). A fair catch is permitted from in or beyond the neutral zone to R’s goal line during a free kick. (2-9-1)

Situation #5 (6.1.8.D) • K1 tries an onside kick from K’s 40, as the ball bounces near the sideline the ball is muffed out-of-bounds by K2 at R’s 49. • RULING: R could have K rekick after a five yard penalty, or take the ball 1st and 10 at R’s 49, or take the ball 1st and 10 at R’s 35.

Situation #6 (6.1.8.E) • K1 squib kicks the kickoff to R’s 30 where • (a) R muffs the ball out-of-bounds at R’s 28, or • (b) R muffs the ball toward the side lines where K2 muffs the ball out-of-bounds at R’s 28. • RULING: In both (a) and (b), R would put the ball in play at R’s 28.

Situation #7 (*6.1.8.F) • K1 tries an onside kick from K’s 40. K2 muffs the ball at K’s 48, and the ball bounces off R and is muffed out of bounds by K3 at R’s 45. K did not force the ball into R. • RULING: R can either choose to take the ball at K’s 48 at the spot of first touching or at R’s 45 where the ball went out of bounds. The free kick was touched by R, so R has no re-kick option.

Situation #8 (6.1.8.G) • Team K free kicks from its own 40-yard line. K1's onside kick is rolling at K's 46-yard line, when K2 muffs the ball, which then touches R3's leg and goes out of bounds at K's 48-yard line. • RULING: Since R's touching is now ignored, this is a free kick that went out of bounds. R has the option of accepting the ball at the spot of first touching by K or having the penalty enforced for the free kick out of bounds with all these options: • (a) re-kick following a 5-yard penalty; • (b) awarded the ball at the out-of-bounds spot; or • (c) accept the ball 25 yards from the spot of the free kick. (10-5-1a)

Situation #9 (*6.1.8.H) • Team K, after accepting the penalties for multiple R fouls, is now free kicking from R’s 20-yard line. In attempting to onside kick, the ball goes out bounds untouched in the field of play. • RULING: R may take the ball at the inbounds spot, or accept the 5-yard penalty and have K re-kick from R’s 25-yard line.

Situation Of The Week • K 4/10 @ K10. K in scrimmage kick formation. Snap sails over the head of kicker K1 who is standing at his own goal line. Ball goes into the end zone, where K1 kicks it across the end line in order to keep several R players from getting possession. • RULING: Foul was an illegal kick during a loose ball play. Basic spot is the previous spot, so we have a foul by the offense behind the basic spot. This is the “but one” of the all but one, so the enforcement spot is the spot of the foul, which is in the end zone. Penalty results in a safety. Result of the down is a safety, too, since the force that put the ball in the end zone was the snap. Both the result of the down and the penalty would result in the same thing, a safety. • As a result of a change last year, where a foul that is accepted during the last timed down of the period which results in a safety (3-4-b-5) does not extend the period, and since we do not carry over enforcement of fouls on safeties, it makes absolutely no difference by rule whether R accepts or declines the foul.

“Onsides Kicks” Rules Considerations