Just for Kicks!

Often times the rules of the Kicking game can be confusing. In this article we will look at the reason why it’s called “Football” and also look at the rules and regulations of the Kicking game. Let’s begin!

The name “Football” found its origins from Soccer then Rugby. Soccer received it’s name from the name “AsSOCiation Football”. A bit later, Rugby was formed which was a derivative of Soccer, which is still known around the world as “Football”. American Football as we know it started in the late 1800’s when Universities – Princeton, Yale, Rutgers and Colombia had formed an Intercollegiate Football League (IFL) that was 20 vs 20 and resembled more like Rugby than modern day football. They added Goal Post’s and teams were allowed to Kick for points after the ball “Touched Down” behind the opponents goal line. The then Yale Coach, Walter Camp, changed the rules of the IFL and created what we know today as modern football. He changed teams to 11 vs 11, added “the Neutral Zone” or line of scrimmage, made the field a set size at 110 yards and added a set number of downs to 3. Later the rules would change to add a down and 10 yards to the playing field, making both End Zones 10 yards and the playing field 100 yards. Since Kicking was still a major part of the game it kept the name Football. Now onto the modern day rules of Football and the Kicking game!

The Kickoff
To begin each half, the beginning of the game and beginning of the 3rd Quarter one team will “Kickoff”. This is decided by who wins the initial coin toss. The team that wins the coin toss has 3 options. They can either receive the ball, defer the ball or select which side they want to defend. After they make their selection the other team has the option of the remaining two. On a very windy day for instance, the team that wins the coin toss might wish to pick which way the other team will have go.
All the members of the Kicking team must stay behind the ball when it is kicked, if they run ahead early it is offsides and the ball is re-kicked. Once the ball travels 10 yards on a Kickoff it is a “Live Ball”, meaning that it does not need to be touched by the receiving team to be recovered by the kicking team. If the ball does not travel 10 yards than the kicking team can not recover possession unless it is touched by a member of the receiving team. Here is where the rules get a bit tricky. The ball may not be advanced by the kicking team unless a member of the receiving team has “possession” of the ball, not simply touched but actual possession. A punt may not be used on a Kickoff.

Other Kickoff rules include penalties for kicking out of bounds. If the Kicking team has kicked it out of bounds the ball is spotted at the 40. If the Kicking team kicks the ball out of bounds on an “Onside Kick” then are penalized 5 yards and have to re-kick. From the NFL Rule Book

“If the kicking team either illegally kicks off out of bounds or is guilty of a short free kick on two or more consecutive onside kicks, receivers may take possession of the ball at the dead ball spot, out-of-bounds spot, or spot of illegal touch.”

The Punt
Another form of kick is a Punt. A punt is the opportunity for the team with possession of the ball to kick the ball to the other team and gain field position but lose possession of the ball. A Punt is not a live ball and therefor can not be recovered by the kicking team unless it is touched by a member of the receiving team. In addition, a Punt may be angled out of bounds at no penalty. The ball is spotted where it went out. The great punters like Ray Guy and Shane Lechler have a made a career out of punting the ball out of bounds deep inside of the opposition territory. Punting out of bounds inside the 10 is known as the “Coffin Corner”.

Safety Kick
The third form of Kick is the “Free Kick” or “Safety Kick”. A Free Kick occurs when the Defense has forced a “Safety”. When the QB of the offense is tackled inside his own Endzone the team with possession must “Free Kick” the ball to the team that forced the Safety. The Defending team is awarded the ball and 2 points for this. A Free Kick must be either Punted, Drop Kicked or kicked off the ground without the use of a tee. A Safety Kick is also considered a Dead Ball and is not returnable by the team that has kicked it.

Neither a punt, free kick or kickoff can be used to score, even if a series of penalties places the team close enough to kick the ball through the uprights. A Field Goal is only allowed to occur during a play from scrimmage, which leads us into the final form of a kick.

The Field Goal
On any down and distance the team with possession of the ball has the opportunity to kick the ball through the uprights for 3 points. The kicking team may not use a tee but may use a holder. A Field Goal is returnable by the defense in the event that the kick is short, it must be caught however and once it hits the ground it’s a dead ball. When a Field Goal is blocked, it is returnable by the Blocking team but can not be advanced by the kicking team once it is recovered. A Field Goal attempt is a change of possession for the kicking team unless the ball is in complete possession of the blocking team and then fumbled. If a Field Goal is missed, the ball then belongs to the other team at the spot where it was kicked from. If a Field Goal is attempted and missed inside the 20 yard line than the defending team receives possession at the 20 yard line.

One thing is for certain, the kicking game is a very important part of the game today.