NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Football
Excerpts from rules and regulations pertaining to kicking
Excerpts from rules and regulations pertaining to kicking
RULE 1 - THE GAME, FIELD, PLAYERS
and EQUIPMENT
SECTION 2 – The Field
Goals ARTICLE 5.
Specifications ARTICLE 1. The ball shall meet the following specifications:
Marking Balls ARTICLE 3. SECTION 2 – The Field
Goals ARTICLE 5.
- a. Each goal shall consist of two white or yellow uprights extending at least 30 feet above the ground with a connecting white or yellow horizontal crossbar, the top of which is 10 feet above the ground. The inside of the uprights and crossbar shall be in the same vertical plane as the inside edge of the end line. Each goal is out of bounds (see Appendix D).
- b. Above the crossbar, the uprights shall be white or yellow and 18 feet, six inches apart inside to inside.
- c. The designated uprights and crossbar shall be free of decorative material (Exception: 4-inch-by-42-inch orange or red wind directional streamers at the top of the uprights are permitted).
- d. The height of the crossbar shall be measured from the top of each end of the crossbar to the ground directly below.
Specifications ARTICLE 1. The ball shall meet the following specifications:
- a. New or nearly new. (A nearly new ball is a ball that has not been altered and retains the properties and qualities of a new ball.)
- b. Cover consisting of four panels of pebble-grained leather without corrugations other than seams.
- c. One set of eight equally spaced lacings.
- d. Natural tan color.
- e. Two 1-inch white stripes that are three to three-and-one-quarter inches from the end of the ball and located only on the two panels adjacent to the laces.
- f. Conforms to maximum and minimum dimensions and shape indicated in the accompanying diagram.
- g. Inflated to the pressure of 12-1/2 to 13-1/2 pounds per square inch (psi).
- h. Weight of 14 to 15 ounces.
- i. The ball may not be altered. This includes the use of any ball-drying substance. Mechanical ball-drying devices are not permitted near the sidelines or in the team area.
- a. The game officials shall test and be sole judge of not more than six balls offered for play by each team before and during the game. The game officials may approve additional balls if warranted by conditions (A.R. 1-3-2-I).
- b. Home management shall provide a pressure pump and measuring device.
- c. The home team is responsible for providing legal balls and should notify the opponent of the ball to be used.
- d. During the entire game, either team may use a new or nearly new ball of its choice when it is in possession, providing the ball meets the required specifications and has been measured and tested according to rule (Exception: The official NCAA football shall be used for the Division I Football Championship Subdivision, II and III championships).
- e. The visiting team is responsible for providing the legal balls it wishes to use while it is in possession if the balls provided by the home team are not acceptable.
- f. All balls to be used must be presented to the referee for testing at least 60 minutes before the start of the game. Once the teams have presented the game balls to the referee, they remain under the general supervision of the officials throughout the game.
- g. When the ball becomes dead in a side zone, is unfit for play, is subject to measurement in a side zone or is inaccessible, a replacement ball shall be obtained from a ball person (A.R. 1-3-2-I).
- h. The referee or umpire shall determine the legality of each ball before it is put in play.
- i. The following procedures shall be used when measuring a ball:
- 1. All measurements shall be made after the ball is legally inflated.
- 2. The long circumference shall be measured around the ends of the ball but not over the laces.
- 3. The long diameter shall be measured with calipers from end to end but not in the nose indentation.
- 4. The short circumference shall be measured around the ball, over the valve and over the lace but not over the cross lace.
- Marking a ball indicating a preference for any player or any situation is prohibited.
Mandatory Equipment ARTICLE 3
Specifications: Mandatory Equipment
- h. Socks. Players of a team must wear socks or leg coverings that are identical in color and design (Exceptions: Unaltered knee braces, tape or a bandage to protect or prevent an injury, and barefoot kickers).
- Cleats that extend more than ½ inch from the base of the shoe (See Appendix E for full specifications). (Rule 9-2-2-d)
SECTION 11. Fumble, Muff; Batting and Touching the Ball; Blocking a Kick
Blocking a Scrimmage Kick ARTICLE 5.
- Blocking a scrimmage kick is touching the ball by an opponent of the kicking team in an attempt
Kicking the Ball; Legal and Illegal Kicks ARTICLE 1.
- a. Kicking the ball is intentionally striking the ball with the knee, lower leg or foot.
- b. A legal kick is a punt, drop kick or place kick made according to the rules by a player of Team A before a change of team possession. Kicking the ball in any other manner is illegal (A.R. 6-1-2-I).
- c. Any free kick or scrimmage kick continues to be a kick until it is caught or recovered by a player or becomes dead.
- d. When in question, a ball is accidentally touched rather than kicked.
- A punt is a kick by a player who drops the ball and kicks it before it strikes the ground.
- A drop kick is a kick by a player who drops the ball and kicks it as it touches the ground.
- a. A field goal place kick is a kick by a player of the team in possession while the ball is controlled on the ground by a teammate.
- b. A free kick place kick is a kick by a player of the team in possession while the ball is positioned on a tee or the ground. It may be controlled by a teammate. The ball may be positioned on the ground and contacting the tee.
- c. A tee is a device that elevates the ball for kicking purposes. It may not elevate the ball’s lowest point more than one inch above the ground (A.R. 2-16-4-I).
- a. A free kick is a kick by a player of the team in possession made under restrictions specified in Rules 4-1-4, 6-1-1 and 6-1-2.
- b. A free kick after a safety may be a punt, drop kick or place kick.
- A kickoff is a free kick that starts each half and follows each try or field goal (Exception: In extra periods). It must be a place kick or a drop kick.
- a. A scrimmage kick is a punt, drop kick, or field goal place kick. It is a legal kick if it is made by Team A in or behind the neutral zone during a scrimmage down before team possession changes.
- b. A scrimmage kick has crossed the neutral zone when it touches the ground, a player, an official or anything beyond the neutral zone (Exception: Rule 6-3-1-b) (A.R. 6-3-1-I-IV).
- c. A scrimmage kick made when the kicker’s entire body is beyond the neutral zone is an illegal kick and a live-ball foul that causes the ball to become dead (Rule 6-3-10-c).
- A return kick is a kick by a player of the team in possession after change of team possession during a down. It is an illegal kick and a live-ball foul that causes the ball to become dead (Rule 6-3-10-b).
- A field goal attempt is a scrimmage kick. It may be a place kick or drop kick.
- a. A scrimmage kick formation is a formation with at least one player seven yards or more behind the neutral zone, no player in position to receive a hand-to-hand snap from between the snapper’s legs, and it is obvious
- that a kick may be attempted (A.R. 7-1-3-VII and A.R. 9-1-14-I-III).
- b. If Team A is in a scrimmage kick formation at the snap, any action by Team A during the down is deemed to be from a scrimmage kick formation.
ARTICLE 1.
- a. Legally snapping the ball (a snap) is handing or passing it backward from its position on the ground with a quick and continuous motion of the hand or hands, the ball actually leaving the hand or hands in this motion (Rule 4-1-4).
- b. The snap starts when the ball is moved legally and ends when the ball leaves the snapper’s hands (A.R. 7-1-5-I-II).
- c. If, during any backward motion of a legal snap, the ball slips from the snapper’s hand, it becomes a backward pass and is in play (Rule 4-1-1).
- d. While resting on the ground and before the snap, the long axis of the ball must be at right angles to the scrimmage line (Rule 7-1-3).
- e. Unless moved in a backward direction, the movement of the ball does not start a legal snap. It is not a legal snap if the ball is first moved forward or lifted.
- f. If the ball is touched by Team B during a legal snap, the ball remains dead and Team B is penalized. If the ball is touched by Team B during an illegal snap, the ball remains dead and Team A is penalized (A.R. 7-1-5-I-II).
- g. The snap need not be between the snapper’s legs; but to be legal, it must be a quick and continuous backward motion.
- h. The ball must be snapped on or between the hash marks.
Kicker and Holder ARTICLE 3.
SECTION 1. Free Kicks
Restraining Lines ARTICLE 1.
- a. The kicker is any player who punts, drop kicks or place kicks according to rule. He remains the kicker until he has had a reasonable time to regain his balance.
- b. A holder is a player who controls the ball on the ground or on a kicking tee. During a scrimmage-kick play, he remains the holder until no player is in position to make the kick or, if the ball is kicked, until the kicker has had a reasonable time to regain his balance.
- The snapper is the player who snaps the ball. He is established as the snapper when he takes a position behind the ball and touches or simulates (hand[s] at or below his knees) touching the ball (Rule 7-1-3).
SECTION 1. Free Kicks
Restraining Lines ARTICLE 1.
- For any free kick formation, the kicking team’s restraining line shall be the yard line through the most forward point from which the ball shall be kicked, and the receiving team’s restraining line shall be the yard line 10 yards beyond that point. Unless relocated by a penalty, the kicking team’s restraining line on a kickoff shall be its 35-yard line, and for a free kick after a safety, its 20-yard line.
- a. A ball from a free kick formation must be kicked legally and from some point on Team A’s restraining line (Exception: Rule 6-1-2-c-4) and on or between the hash marks. The referee will declare the ball ready for play when the officials are in position after the kicker has received the ball. After the ball is ready for play and for any reason falls from the tee, Team A shall not kick the ball and the official shall sound his whistle immediately.
- b. After the ball has been made ready for play all players on the kicking team except the kicker must be no more than five yards behind their restraining line. A player satisfies this rule when one foot is on or beyond the line five yards behind the restraining line. If one player is more than five yards behind the restraining line and any other player kicks the ball, it is a foul. (A.R. 6-1-2-VII)
- c. When the ball is kicked (A.R. 6-1-2-I-IV):
- 1. Each Team A player, except the holder and kicker of a place kick, must be behind the ball (A.R. 6-1-2-V) [S18].
- 2. All Team A players must be inbounds [S19].
- 3. At least four Team A players must be on each side of the kicker [S19]. (AR 6-1-2-II-IV)
- 4. After a safety, when a punt or drop kick is used, the ball may be kicked from behind the kicking team’s restraining line. If a yardage penalty for a live-ball foul is enforced from the previous spot, administration is from the 20-yard line, unless the kicking team’s restraining line has been relocated by a previous penalty [S18 or appropriate signal].
- 5. All players of Team A must have been between the nine-yard marks after the ready-for-play signal [S19].
- PENALTY [a-c5]—Live-ball foul. Five yards from the previous spot, or five yards from the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B, or from the spot where the ball is placed after a touchback [S18 or S19] (A.R. 6-1-2-VI).
- 6. All Team B players must be inbounds [S19].
- 7. All Team B players must be behind their restraining line [S18].
- PENALTY [c6-c7]—Live-ball foul. Five yards from the previous spot [S18 or S19].
- a. No Team A player may touch a free-kicked ball until after:
- 1. It touches a Team B player (Exception: Rules 6-1-4 and 6-5-1-b);
- 2. It breaks the plane of and remains beyond Team B’s restraining line (Exception: Rule 6-4-1) (A.R. 2-12-5-I); or
- 3. It touches any player, the ground, an official or anything beyond Team B’s restraining line. Thereafter, all players of Team A become eligible to touch, recover or catch the kick.
- b. Any other touching by Team A is illegal touching, a violation that, when the ball becomes dead, gives the receiving team the privilege of taking the ball at the spot of the violation.
- c. If there is an accepted penalty for a live-ball foul by either team, or if there are offsetting fouls, the illegal touching privilege is canceled (A.R. 6-1-3-I).
- d. Illegal touching in Team A’s end zone is ignored.
- a. A player blocked by an opponent into a free kick is not, while inbounds, deemed to have touched the kick.
- b. An inbounds player touched by a ball batted by an opponent is not deemed to have touched the ball.
- If a free kick comes to rest inbounds and no player attempts to secure it, the ball becomes dead and belongs to the receiving team at the deadball spot.
- a. If a free kick is caught or recovered by a player of the receiving team, the ball continues in play (Exceptions: Rules 4-1-3-g, 6-1-7, and 6-5-1 and 2). If caught or recovered by a player of the kicking team, the ball becomes dead. The ball belongs to the receiving team at the dead-ball spot, unless the kicking team is in legal possession when the ball is declared dead. In the latter case, the ball belongs to the kicking team.
- b. When opposing players, each eligible to touch the ball, simultaneously recover a rolling kick or catch a free kick, the simultaneous possession makes the ball dead. A kick declared dead in joint possession is awarded to the receiving team.
Ball Dead in End Zone ARTICLE 7.
Kicking Team ARTICLE 1.
Behind the Neutral Zone ARTICLE 1.
SECTION 1. Value of Scores
Scoring Plays ARTICLE 1.
How Scored ARTICLE 1.
How Scored ARTICLE 1.
- a. When a free kick untouched by Team B touches the ground on or behind Team B’s goal line, the ball becomes dead and belongs to Team B.
- b. If the result of the free kick is a touchback (Rule 8-6) for Team B, they will put the ball in play at their 25-yard line.
- Penalties for all fouls by the kicking team other than kick-catch interference (Rule 6-4) during a free kick play may be enforced at the previous spot with the down repeated or at the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B.
- The kicker of a free kick may not be blocked until he has advanced five yards beyond his restraining line or the kick has touched a player, an official or the ground. (Rule 9-1-16-c)
- PENALTY—15 yards from the previous spot [S40].
- a. A wedge is defined as two or more players aligned shoulder to shoulder within two yards of each other.
- b. Free-kick down only: After the ball has been kicked, it is illegal for three or more members of the receiving team intentionally to form a wedge for the purpose of blocking for the ball carrier. This is a live-ball foul, whether or not there is contact between opponents.
- PENALTY—Noncontact foul. 15 yards, spot of the foul, or 15 yards, spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B if this is behind the spot of the foul. 15 yards, previous spot with the down repeated if the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team A. [S27]
- c. Formation of the wedge is not illegal when the kick is from an obvious onside kick formation.
- d. There is no foul if the play results in a touchback.
- A Team A player who goes out of bounds during a free kick down may not return inbounds during the down (Exception: This does not apply to a Team A player who is blocked out of bounds and attempts to return in-bounds immediately).
- PENALTY—Live-ball foul. Five yards from the previous spot, or five yards from the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B, or from the spot where the ball is placed after a touchback [S19]
- No Team A player may block an opponent until Team A is eligible to touch a free-kicked ball. (A.R. 6-1-3-II)
- PENALTY —Live-ball foul. Five yards from the previous spot, or five yards from the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B, or from the spot where the ball is placed after a touchback [S19].
Kicking Team ARTICLE 1.
- A free kick out of bounds between the goal lines untouched by an inbounds player of Team B is a foul (A.R. 6-2-1-I-II).
- PENALTY—Live-ball foul. Five yards from the previous spot; or five yards from the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B; or the receiving team may put the ball in play 30 yards beyond Team A’s restraining line at the hash mark [S19].
- When a free kick goes out of bounds between the goal lines, the ball belongs to the receiving team at the hash mark. When a free kick goes out of bounds behind the goal line, the ball belongs to the team defending that goalline (A.R. 6-2-2-I-IV).
Behind the Neutral Zone ARTICLE 1.
- a. A scrimmage kick that fails to cross the neutral zone continues in play. All players may catch or recover the ball behind the neutral zone and advance it (A.R. 6-3-1-I-III).
- b. The blocking of a scrimmage kick by an opponent of the kicking team who is not more than three yards beyond the neutral zone is considered to have occurred within or behind that zone (Rule 2-11-5).
- a. No inbounds player of the kicking team shall touch a scrimmage kick that has crossed the neutral zone before it touches an opponent. Such illegal touching is a violation that, when the ball becomes dead, gives the receiving team the privilege of taking the ball at the spot of the violation (Exception: Rule 6-3-4) (A.R. 2-12-2-I and A.R. 6-3-2-I).
- b. This privilege is canceled if there is an accepted penalty for a live-ball foul by either team (Exception: Rule 6-3-11) (A.R. 6-3-2-I-IV, A.R. 6-3-11-I-III and A.R. 10-1-4-VII).
- c. The privilege is canceled if there are offsetting fouls.
- d. Illegal touching in Team A’s end zone is ignored.
- When a scrimmage kick that has crossed the neutral zone touches a player of the receiving team who is inbounds, any player may catch or recover the ball (Rule 6-3-1-b) (Exceptions: Rules 6-3-4 and 6-5-1-b).
- a. A player blocked by an opponent into a scrimmage kick that has crossed the neutral zone shall not, while inbounds, be deemed to have touched the kick (A.R. 6-3-4-I-V).
- b. An inbounds player touched by a ball batted by an opponent is not deemed to have touched the ball (A.R. 6-3-4-II).
- If a scrimmage kick is caught or recovered by a player of the receiving team, the ball continues in play (Exceptions: Rules 4-1-3-g, 6-3-9, 6-5-1 and 2) (A.R. 8-4-2-V).
- a. If a player of the kicking team catches or recovers a scrimmage kick that has crossed the neutral zone, the ball becomes dead (A.R. 6-3-1-IV). The ball belongs to the receiving team at the dead-ball spot, unless the kicking team is in legal possession when the ball is declared dead. In the latter case, the ball belongs to the kicking team.
- b. When opposing players, each eligible to touch the ball, simultaneously recover a rolling kick or catch a scrimmage kick, the simultaneous possession makes the ball dead. A kick declared dead in joint possession of opposing players is awarded to the receiving team (Rules 2-4-4 and 4-1-3-l).
- If a scrimmage kick goes out of bounds between the goal lines or comes to rest inbounds and no player attempts to secure it, the ball becomes dead and belongs to the receiving team at the dead-ball spot (Exception: Rule 8-4-2-b).
- If a scrimmage kick (other than one that scores a field goal) goes out of bounds behind a goal line, the ball becomes dead and belongs to the team defending that goal line (Rule 8-4-2-b).
- The ball becomes dead and belongs to the team defending its goal line when a scrimmage kick that has crossed the neutral zone is subsequently untouched by Team B before touching the ground on or behind Team B’s goal line (Rule 8-4-2-b) (A.R. 6-3-9-I-II).
- a. A legal scrimmage kick is a punt, drop kick or place kick made according to rule.
- b. A return kick is an illegal kick and a live-ball foul that causes the ball to become dead (Rule 2-16-8).
- PENALTY—For a return kick (live-ball foul): Five yards from the spot of the foul [S31].
- c. A scrimmage kick made when the kicker’s entire body is beyond the neutral zone is an illegal kick and a live-ball foul that causes the ball to become dead.
- PENALTY—For an illegal kick beyond the neutral zone (live-ball foul): Five yards from the previous spot and loss of down [S31 and S9].
- d. No device or material may be used to mark the spot of a scrimmage place kick or elevate the ball. This is a live-ball foul at the snap.
- PENALTY—Five yards from the previous spot [S19].
- If a scrimmage kick untouched by Team B after crossing the neutral zone is batted in Team B’s end zone by a player of Team A, it is a violation for illegal touching (Rule 6-3-2). This is a special case of illegal touching: Team B’s privilege for this violation is not canceled by an accepted penalty. It is canceled by offsetting fouls (Rule 6-3-2-b). The spot of the violation is Team B’s 20-yard line, which is the postscrimmage kick spot forfouls by Team B (Rule 2-25-11).The B-20 may also be a penalty enforcement spot for fouls by Team A during the kick play (Rules 6-3-13 and 10-2-4) (A.R. 6-3-11-I-III and A.R 2-12-2-I).
- No Team A player who goes out of bounds during a scrimmage kick down may return inbounds during the down (Exception: This does not apply to a Team A player who is blocked out of bounds and attempts to return inbounds immediately).
- PENALTY—Live-ball foul. Five yards from the previous spot or five yards from the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B [S19].
- Penalties for all fouls by the kicking team other than kickcatch interference (Rule 6-4) during a scrimmage kick play (except field-goal attempts) in which the ball crosses the neutral zone may be enforced either at the previous spot with the down repeated or at the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B, at the option of Team B. (A.R. 6-3-13-I-III)
- If Team A is in a formation to attempt a place kick (field goal or try) it is illegal for three Team B players on their line of scrimmage inside the blocking zone to align shoulder-to-shoulder and move forward together after the snap with primary contact against a single Team A player (A.R. 6-3-14-I and II).
- PENALTY—Live-ball foul. Five yards, previous spot. [S19]
SECTION 1. Value of Scores
Scoring Plays ARTICLE 1.
- The point value of scoring plays shall be:
- Field Goal — 3 Points
- Successful Try:
- Touchdown — 2 Points
- Field Goal or Safety — 1 Point
How Scored ARTICLE 1.
- The point or points shall be scored according to the point values in Rule 8-1-1 if the try results in what would be a touchdown, safety or field goal under rules governing play at other times (A.R. 8-3-1-I-II; A.R. 8-3-2-I-III and VI; and A.R. 10-2-5-X-XV).
- A try is an opportunity for either team to score one or two points while the game clock is stopped after a touchdown. It is a special interval in the game which, for purposes of penalty enforcement only, includes both a down and the “ready’’ period that precedes it.
- a. The ball shall be put in play by the team that scored a six-point touchdown. If a touchdown is scored during a down in which time in the fourth period expires, the try shall not be attempted unless the point(s) would affect the outcome of the game.
- b. The try, which is a scrimmage down, begins when the ball is declared ready for play.
- c. The snap will be midway between the hash marks on the opponent’s three yard line or from any other point on or between the hash marks on or behind the opponent’s three-yard line if the position of the ball is selected by the team designated to put the ball in play before the ready-for-play signal. The ball may be relocated after a charged timeout to either team unless preceded by a Team A foul or offsetting fouls (Rules 8-3-3-a and 8-3-3-c-1).
- d. The try ends when:
- 1. Either team scores.
- 2. The ball is dead by rule (A.R. 8-3-2-IV and VI).
- 3. An accepted penalty results in a score.
- 4. A Team A loss-of-down penalty is accepted (Rule 8-3-3-c-2).
- 5. Before a change of team possession, a Team A player fumbles and the ball is caught or recovered by any Team A player other than the fumbler. There is no Team A score (A.R. 8-3-2-VIII).
How Scored ARTICLE 1.
- a. A field goal shall be scored for the kicking team if a drop kick or place kick passes over the crossbar between the uprights of the receiving team’s goal before it touches a player of the kicking team or the ground. The kick shall be a scrimmage kick but may not be a free kick.
- b. If a legal field goal attempt passes over the crossbar between the uprights and is dead beyond the end line or is blown back but does not return over the crossbar and is dead anywhere, it shall score a field goal. The crossbar and uprights are treated as a line, not a plane, in determining forward progress of the ball.
- a. Successful field goal. After a field goal is scored, the ball shall be put in play by a kickoff or at the succeeding spot in extra periods. The team scoring the field goal shall kick off.
- b. Unsuccessful field-goal attempt.
- 1. When the ball is declared dead beyond the neutral zone and is untouched by Team B beyond the neutral zone, it belongs to Team B. Except in an extra period Team B will snap the ball at the previous spot unless the previous spot was between its 20-yard line and the goal line. In that case Team B will next snap the ball at its 20-yard line. The 20-yard-line snap shall be from midway between the hash marks unless Team B selects a different location on or between the hash marks before the ready-forplay signal. After the ready-for-play signal, the ball may be relocated after a charged team timeout, unless preceded by a Team A foul or offsetting fouls.
- 2. If the ball does not cross the neutral zone or if Team B touches the ball beyond the neutral zone, all rules pertaining to scrimmage kicks apply (A.R. 6-3-4-II, A.R. 8-4-2-I-VI and A.R. 10-2-3-V).
RULE 9 - CONDUCT OF PLAYERS AND OTHERS SUBJECT TO THE RULES
SECTION 1. Personal Fouls
Contact Against the Snapper ARTICLE 14.
SECTION 3. Reviewable Plays
Scoring Plays ARTICLE 1.
SECTION 1. Personal Fouls
Contact Against the Snapper ARTICLE 14.
- When a team is in scrimmage kick formation, a defensive player may not initiate contact with the snapper until one second has elapsed after the snap (A.R. 9-1-14-I-III).
- a. When it is obvious that a scrimmage kick will be made, no opponent shall run into or rough the kicker or the holder of a place kick (A.R. 9-1-16-I, III and VI).
- 1. Roughing is a live-ball personal foul that endangers the kicker or holder.
- 2. Running into the kicker or holder is a live-ball foul that occurs when the kicker or holder is displaced from his kicking or holding position but is not roughed (A.R. 9-1-16-II). Note: Running into the kicker carries a five-yard penalty at the previous spot.
- 3. Incidental contact with a kicker or holder is not a foul.
- 4. The kicker’s protection under this rule ends (a)when he has had a reasonable time to regain his balance(A.R. 9-1-16-IV); or (b)when he carries the ball outside the tackle box (Rule 2-34) before kicking.
- 5. When a defensive player’s contact against the kicker or holder is caused by an opponent’s block (legal or illegal), there is no foul for running into or roughing.
- 6. A player who makes contact with the kicker or holder after touching the kick is not charged with running into or roughing the kicker.
- 7. When a player other than one who blocks a scrimmage kick runs into or roughs the kicker or holder, it is a foul.
- 8. When in question whether the foul is running into or roughing, the foul is roughing.
- b. A kicker or holder simulating being roughed or run into by a defensive player commits an unsportsmanlike act (A.R. 9-1-16-V).
- PENALTY [a-b]—15 yards from the previous spot plus automatic first down [S27 and S30].
- c. The kicker of a free kick may not be blocked until he has advanced five yards beyond his restraining line or the kick has touched a player, an officialor the ground.
- PENALTY—15 yards from the previous spot [S40].
SECTION 3. Reviewable Plays
Scoring Plays ARTICLE 1.
- Reviewable plays involving a potential score include:
- b. Field goal attempts if and only if the ball is ruled (a) below or above the crossbar or (b) inside or outside the uprights when it is lower than the top of the uprights. If the ball is higher than the top of the uprights as it crosses the end line, the play may not be reviewed.
- Reviewable plays involving kicks include:
- a. Touching of a kick.
- b. Player beyond the neutral zone when kicking the ball.
- c. Kicking team player advancing a ball after a potential muffed kick/fumble by the receiving team.
- d. Scrimmage kick crossing the neutral zone.
