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Quick Kick


Coach Jennings

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1 hour ago, Coach Jennings said:

Question: What sort of protection does a punter have on a quick kick situation if he is in shotgun (5 yards from the center), receives the snap and punts it.  Is he treated like a punter and receives the protection as such or can the defense rush him and hit as he kicks.  

This goes back to the definitions in the rule book, as most interpretations do. A player doesn’t become a kicker until he kicks the ball. Therefore, until there’s a kick, he’s just like any other player.

The fact that he’s only 5 yds. deep has several implications, but none of them pertain to the kicker, as he’s always entitled to special protection regardless of the formation.

The roughing the kicker rule excuses contact on the kicker when it is “unavoidable” because it is not reasonably certain a kick will be made. Does the player do anything that is “un-kickerlike?” Is the player contacting the kicker attempting to block a kick, or tackle a ball carrier (which is what the kicker is before he kicks the ball)? These are factors that go into the judgment process. But ultimately, the burden is always on the defense to avoid contact if possible.

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