http://www.argusleader.com/article/20101031/SPORTS0107/101031003/1002/sports
Found this link this morning, its an American high school game. The Kicker punted the ball about 40 yards then the wind rolled it another 50, all the way down to the 3 yard line (video in article). Just wondering if anyone knows, why wouldn't the kicker have run up and recovered the ball rather than letting everyone watch the ball roll down field. you really have to see the video to understand what I mean.
it's the retarded American Football Rules that allowed this.
yes I know that, but in american football can the kicker not legally recover his own kick?
I think even if the kicker touches the ball, it's considered "downed" on where he touches it. Punts in the American game is boring. Rarely do you see somebody trying to angle it out for the coffin corner kick. They just try to kick it as high as they can for the hang time and just watch for the receiving team to call fair catch. Happens on so many punts in the NFL
yes he is, there's no rule against a punter recovering a punt. but they don't think that way...
it's just like how often they don't put a returner in the endzone for missed field goals.. they can return them but they choose not to.. it's stupid.
Ya what's up with that one? I've seen a field goal return ONCE in the NFL, so I know they can do it, but I never see a returner there. Maybe cause if they miss the field goal, it's automatic turn over from the last line of scrimmage. That's the only reasoning...I think
punter can recover his own kick, he's considered onside.
ok I am looking at the NFL rule books
this is the rule on legally recovering the ball beyond the LOS for the kicking team
"The kicking team may never advance its own kick even though legal recovery is made beyond the line of scrimmage. Possession only. "
there is no recovery by kickers in American rules. If the kicker were to recover it, the ball would be considered downed and possesion would change to the receiving team.
not true , I just looked at the rules. the kicker can recover the ball, he just cannot take it and run. he's down when he gains possession.
they really do have some stupid non-sense rules down there.
it's almost like they were drinking heavily when they came up with some of these.
CFL rules definitely kick ass compared to these chincy rules.
on a kick off, the kicking team can legally recover and run the ball back to the endzone if they can do it.
the Alouettes did it vs the Esks in the 2002 Grey Cup.. that was amazing.
but yet in the NFL, you can't unless it was touched first by the receiving team.
...where would you suggest they place the returner?....in the 15th row of the bleachers behind the net that just got pulled up?...
....seriously, I can't remember the last time I saw an attempted FG in the NFL fall so short of it's target that it was returnable...IMO, way better utilization of a player is to place that would-be returner up on the line to potentially block the FG...
Don't forget that with the goalposts being at the end of the endzones, most missed field goals will land out of bounds anyways making them unreturnable. A field goal landing short of the endline rarely happens in the NFL plus with the other team getting the ball from where it was kicked from, it would take one heck of a return to equal the instant field position the returning team would otherwise enjoyed.
see that's another issue with the NFL rules, their 10yd endzones being dead and the posts at the back.
which is again why the CFL rules are so much better.
Good point guys. Ya i totally forgot about the goal posts being at the end of endzones. I don't mind both. CFL and NFL have their fair share of good and weird rules.
It makes sense to have the goalposts at the end of endzones in the NFL because of the shorter field compared to the CFL. Offenses have to move the ball pretty deep b4 a field goal is attempted. it's almost an extra 17 yards they have to add to the line of scrimmage for field goals.
...where would you suggest they place the returner?....in the 15th row of the bleachers behind the net that just got pulled up?...I had a little chuckle reading that :lol:
Can you post where/what the rule specifically says that?..Cause the "The kicking team may never advance its own kick even though legal recovery is made beyond the line of scrimmage. Possession only. "
doesn’t suggest that.
yes it does, you're not reading it right.
I'll break it down into sections
"The kicking team may never advance its own kick - means they can't pick it up and run with it if they recover it.
"legal recovery is made beyond the line of scrimmage. Possession only. " - means they (kicker or onside guy) may recover the ball, once they have they whistle it dead and Team A gets it where it he gained possession.
In American football, ANY player on the kicking team can advance the ball only AFTER the opposition has touched the ball.
Otherwise when ANY player on the kicking team touches the ball before the receiving team for whatever reason, it is called "illegal touching" in the NFL, with no penalty called the receiving team's ball at the spot of the touch by the kicking team.
Furthermore in high school football in Indiana and other states I do know that a penalty is called as well for such illegal touching, and that rule might just be almost national now. If the receiving team does not want to field the kick in high school football, well then the kicking team just crowds around the ball until it stops until the play is blown dead.
I can't remember if the same applies in college football as in high school.
then why do the rules clearly state, with Scrimmage kicks (meaning punts) that the kicking team can legally recover the ball? doesn't say anything about the receiving team touching it first.