Ask the Ref Free Kick Question

[Deana_King]

TARHEELG (Poster says)

I've heard of the fair catch kick if a team makes a fair catch on a punt (or FG in HS i suppose) on the last play of 1st or 3rd quarter.....But i'm curious how it would look when executed (Would the teams line up as if it were a kickoff?) I understand that obviously a successful FG would be 3 points to the team that kicked it, and it seems that the kick is returnable if it falls well short, BUT what if it's a routine missed field goal that goes out of the back of the end zone? Does the team that opted to try the fair catch keep possession at the spot they kicked from? OR is like any other missed FG attempt, which in this case, would be a touchback and the other team's ball at their own 20? I've never seen a fair catch kick attempted in a game, feel like i'm due for it to happen, and would like to know the rules & procedure

 

[Deana_King]

REF4E (Poster says)

I've only seen it one time, and it was 45 years ago when I was PLAYING. Us players didn't know what the heck was going on.

It is known as a "free kick after fair catch", and all the same rules as a kickoff apply (only the kicker can run up more than 5 yards, must be at least 4 on each side of the kicker, and the receiving (defense) team must be 10 yards away until the ball is kicked. The kicker can use a legal kickoff tee, or he can have a holder. And if he's really old school, he can drop-kick it (that's one I've NEVER seen). But he can't punt it.

If the kick is short of the end zone, it can be returned by the receiving (defense) team. If it misses and goes into or through the end zone, it's a touchback, and the receiving (defense) team will put it in play at the 20.

This can only be done if a fair catch (ball caught in flight after a legal FC signal), or an awarded fair catch (kick catch interference penalty) occurs. The kick is from the yard line where the kick is caught, and the kicker can request it to be placed anywhere between the hash marks.

Probably the most likely time you might see this is late in a half when a team is punting from deep in its own territory and the game is close. Most other times, coaches tend to lean toward putting the ball in play traditionally (snap) and work toward a TD.

 

[Deana_King]

TARHEELG (Poster says)

Thanks, but I thought it could only be done if the fair catch was made on the last play of the 1st or 3rd quarter....Are you saying that it's possibly on any fair catch?

 

[Deana_King]

REF4E (Poster says)

Yes, that is correct. When there is a fair catch or awarded fair catch. If a FC is made on the last timed down of the 1st/3rd quarter, the next quarter would begin with the free kick. If an awarded fair catch due to an accepted penalty on the last timed down of the 1st/3rd quarter occurred, the period would be extended by an untimed down to allow the free kick.