I have never seen the kicker stand on the other side of the 35 yard line during an onside kick attempt. Is this not by rule considered offside as he is standing in the neutral zone?
As the kicker is the one kicking the ball, there is no way they can be offside on a kickoff.
doesnt matter exactly where the kicker is when he approaches the ball, only where he is when he makes contact with the ball.
McCallum did the same thing 3 weeks ago as well. I haven’t seen it before either, it’s certainly odd looking (however it worked, 2 for 2 now with Congi’s).
Odd looking for sure but all legal.
doesnt matter exactly where the kicker is when he approaches the ball, only where he is when he makes contact with the ball.This is something new for me under any football code.
In American football under both NCAA and NFL rules, on a kick-off or safety kick (free kicks), the kicker must also be behind the ball at all times prior to the kick.
This is also the case in soccer.
In rugby it is the case on all free kicks and practically speaking on all kick-offs because all kick-offs must be with a drop kick anyway.
If the rule applied to kickers, then just about every kickoff would result in a flag, since the kicker's toe on his plant foot is almost always ahead of the 35-yard line.
The kicker, no matter where he is standing, is by definition on onside player.
not the case in soccer for sure…unless you’re talking about a PK.
Yes in soccer all players must be behind midfield for the kickoff and only two offensive players can be within the circle.
On the free kicks, perhaps the kicker can be in front of the ball but I have never seen that as players at every level use the kick to pass forward unless to the goalkeeper. When passing back to the goalkeeper, they pass it back from the side as with a free kick deep in one’s end of the field.
What’s interesting in American football, as I think is distinguished from Canadian football, is that on passes and kicks a passer or kicker is NOT considered to be offside unless his ENTIRE body is past the line of scrimmage.
There was a play in a night game which ended up teaching this point to most NFL fans years ago in which Eli Manning of the NY Giants jumped past the line of scrimmage and even the ball was past the line of scrimmage when he threw and completed the pass. It was called illegal forward pass, but the call was challenged by still current coach Tom Coughlin.
When they showed the replay, only Eli Manning’s foot was on the line of scrimmage as his entire body was off the ground.
As many of us learned that night though we thought we knew better, by rule in our game down here, the QB was not offside when he made the forward pass and the completion stood with the call overturned.
Practically speaking for kicks in American football and any other code of which I am aware (note my comment on soccer below too), unlike in Canadian football, the kicker can approach the kick from the side but not from in front of the ball.
And Canadian football is unique in this regard, for in other codes even an approach from in front of the ball on all kicks is either against the rules or practically not done.
For sure on free kicks can be in front of the ball, as plenty of kicks can go backwards. This is often seen on indirect kicks around the opponents goal, where the kicker is attempting to shield which way the ball is going.
On kickoffs, other players are required to be behind the ball; however, the person that taps it will typically straddle the line.
Ah good point nlsanand on indirect kicks including those near the corners or end lines as well ...I guess kicking from in front of the ball can apply to the free kicks in soccer.
I couldn't tell, was he offside as people are saying? I thought his left leg was on the line and why he could get the angle to kick it 10 yds forward.