Field Goal Rule

[Hemmick]

This is a video circulating online - apparently, this is an NFHS rule that if it doesn't cross the goal line, it's treated as a punt and down where it lands - if it crosses the goal line, then it's ruled as a touchback. Can anyone tell me if this is also the rule in Indiana?

[Bobref]

2 minutes ago, Hemmick said:

This is a video circulating online - apparently, this is an NFHS rule that if it doesn't cross the goal line, it's treated as a punt and down where it lands - if it crosses the goal line, then it's ruled as a touchback. Can anyone tell me if this is also the rule in Indiana?

This is the rule in the 49 states that play under NFHS rules … including Indiana.

[Hemmick]

Why don't more teams do this then?

[US31]

Much easier to block than a traditional punt....also harder to cover the return. 

Although I would argue that as long as you have a kicker with a big leg, trying long field goals has less of a penalty in NFHS...since as long as your missed FG reaches the GL, the opponent gets the ball on the 20.

[oldtimeqb]

1 hour ago, Hemmick said:

Why don't more teams do this then?

That is a great question.  I'm surprised a HS coach would NOT know this rule, but maybe I am overestimating their knowledge of the rule book. 

I would guess it comes down to your opponent.  If the opponent is well-coached, they know it's returnable so their best athlete has his heels on Goalline (NFHS rules) and the FG unit usually has bigger lineman.  53 1/3 yards is a lot of room for a skill player to juke a lineman. 

It's been a known rule around Southern Indiana ever since Jay Cutler caught a short field goal and went 99.5 yards for a TD.  

[JQWL]

2 hours ago, Hemmick said:

Why don't more teams do this then?

So it's harder to cover a punt out of this and easier for the defense to block a kick out of this, and the question is, "Why don't more teams do this?"

What is the benefit of doing this?

This kid is attempting an 86-yard field goal, which is 20 yards deeper than the NFL record. Plus if the kid is actually a good kicker, he is now 0-1 on attempts in the game.

[JustRules]

34 minutes ago, oldtimeqb said:

That is a great question.  I'm surprised a HS coach would NOT know this rule, but maybe I am overestimating their knowledge of the rule book. 

I would guess it comes down to your opponent.  If the opponent is well-coached, they know it's returnable so their best athlete has his heels on Goalline (NFHS rules) and the FG unit usually has bigger lineman.  53 1/3 yards is a lot of room for a skill player to juke a lineman. 

It's been a known rule around Southern Indiana ever since Jay Cutler caught a short field goal and went 99.5 yards for a TD.  

You are definitely overestimating the coach's knowledge of the rules. The coaches have a good basic understanding of the rules, but they don't study the rules like officials do. This type of play is a great example. I expect there are many coaches who aren't aware of this rule, because it's never come into play. But when officials talk about rules, we talk about scrimmage kicks and free kicks. Both punts and FGs are scrimmage kicks, and rules apply to both the same other than the fact one can score. I don't expect coaches to be rules experts, but I do expect them to respect my rules knowledge and most do.

I've asked coaches this question before and their answers match what others have posted. It really doesn't make sense to do this if you don't have a remote possibility of making the FG because you could accomplish the same thing with a punt. But if your kicker has a range of 45 yards and you have a chance to make a 50-yarder, it makes sense to attempt a FG because hopefully the result of a miss would be a touchback. If you are well out of your range, the risk of a long return is too great. This play would not have worked as well if the return team had a player down there to catch/recover the kick and have any kind of return.

[oldtimeqb]

5 hours ago, JustRules said:

You are definitely overestimating the coach's knowledge of the rules. The coaches have a good basic understanding of the rules, but they don't study the rules like officials do. This type of play is a great example. I expect there are many coaches who aren't aware of this rule, because it's never come into play. But when officials talk about rules, we talk about scrimmage kicks and free kicks. Both punts and FGs are scrimmage kicks, and rules apply to both the same other than the fact one can score. I don't expect coaches to be rules experts, but I do expect them to respect my rules knowledge and most do.

In high school we practiced the FG return (short kick or block) and also the fair-catch free kick.  I guess my coach just knew the rules so I assumed others did as well. Perhaps he was just in the rare group that studied rules.

[Huge Football Fan]

First this is almost impossible to block unless you block it off the foot. If done correctly you really don’t know where they are kicking it so you don’t know where to jump. It’s not like they are aiming at the goal post or down the middle. You can literally kick it anywhere from side like to sideline. If you have a kicker that can kick the ball 50-60 yards that is a lot better than a punter that can kick it 30-40. I haven’t seen this done since 2008-09. You can run a ton of fakes off this but the fact is you can just line this up and kick it outside the numbers or out of bounds. And you don’t have to have all lineman types. If you have punter that only avg 30 yards a punt you should be doing this. 

[Yuccaguy]

2nd Longest HS FG in Indiana History, last Friday night......

[US31]

12 hours ago, Huge Football Fan said:

First this is almost impossible to block unless you block it off the foot. If done correctly you really don’t know where they are kicking it so you don’t know where to jump. It’s not like they are aiming at the goal post or down the middle. You can literally kick it anywhere from side like to sideline. If you have a kicker that can kick the ball 50-60 yards that is a lot better than a punter that can kick it 30-40. I haven’t seen this done since 2008-09. You can run a ton of fakes off this but the fact is you can just line this up and kick it outside the numbers or out of bounds. And you don’t have to have all lineman types. If you have punter that only avg 30 yards a punt you should be doing this. 

Coached on a team that had a kid with a boot and we attempted a lot of long field goals because we new he could put it through the EZ. It was discussed once to do what you see above, but we quickly came to the conclusion below:

It is MUCH easier to block....the more distance the kicker is trying to add...the LOWER the kick will be.  Punts are designed to go higher off the foot to make blocking more difficult (if you want him to sky the ball, why are you doing this?).  Further, the block point is much closer to the LOS.  If you want to move the Tee back to the same distance as a punter, then you better have a really good snapper.  The Block (or Tee) is in a fixed spot...and your snapper has to get it right to the holder...somewhat easy to do at 7 yards...back the holder up to 15....things can get dicey with accuracy of the snapper.  The holder and block can't adjust for a bad snap, and the kicker can't adjust a few steps on way or the other to avoid a block.  

Coverage...due to the above, is limited because you can't spread people out and have gunners and still protect the kick.  Also, you can really only cover with 9 because both the kicker AND holder are occupied at the kick.  If the other team is worth anything....they will have some type of return/hold up and can likely gash you.  They can literally put two deep and still have a hat on a hat to block your coverage.

Kick direction/fakes/lineman types...."literally" everything you said about kick direction & fakes & body types ("You can literally kick it anywhere from side like to sideline") applies equally to a punt.

[Huge Football Fan]

5 hours ago, US31 said:

Coached on a team that had a kid with a boot and we attempted a lot of long field goals because we new he could put it through the EZ. It was discussed once to do what you see above, but we quickly came to the conclusion below:

It is MUCH easier to block....the more distance the kicker is trying to add...the LOWER the kick will be.  Punts are designed to go higher off the foot to make blocking more difficult (if you want him to sky the ball, why are you doing this?).  Further, the block point is much closer to the LOS.  If you want to move the Tee back to the same distance as a punter, then you better have a really good snapper.  The Block (or Tee) is in a fixed spot...and your snapper has to get it right to the holder...somewhat easy to do at 7 yards...back the holder up to 15....things can get dicey with accuracy of the snapper.  The holder and block can't adjust for a bad snap, and the kicker can't adjust a few steps on way or the other to avoid a block.  

Coverage...due to the above, is limited because you can't spread people out and have gunners and still protect the kick.  Also, you can really only cover with 9 because both the kicker AND holder are occupied at the kick.  If the other team is worth anything....they will have some type of return/hold up and can likely gash you.  They can literally put two deep and still have a hat on a hat to block your coverage.

Kick direction/fakes/lineman types...."literally" everything you said about kick direction & fakes & body types ("You can literally kick it anywhere from side like to sideline") applies equally to a punt.

Details! The kick is NOT easier to block CUZ TOU ARE NOT AIMING AT THE GOAL POST!!!! Why is this concept not easy to understand. When you are kicking a fg for a punt you are not aiming down the middle you are kicking it over the T or TE area AND aiming for the sideline. Most kickers can kick it 40-50 yards in the air and have it land out of bounds which is almost always better then a regular punt. 

[JustRules]

On 9/24/2024 at 4:36 PM, Huge Football Fan said:

Details! The kick is NOT easier to block CUZ TOU ARE NOT AIMING AT THE GOAL POST!!!! Why is this concept not easy to understand. When you are kicking a fg for a punt you are not aiming down the middle you are kicking it over the T or TE area AND aiming for the sideline. Most kickers can kick it 40-50 yards in the air and have it land out of bounds which is almost always better then a regular punt. 

Coaches have told me it's because the kick will be coming out much lower than a punt. Have your entire DL put up their arms and it's much more likely to get blocked. Or the low kick to just hit the linemen. You are correct if your defensive plan is to only have one jumper try to block the kick.