Expert: Vic Winnek - 10/24/2009

Question
Mr. Winnie--Can a kickoff be a punt rather than a teed ball? If so, does the same yard line apply? Could a drop kick be used in place of a kickoff? What are the rules regarding drop kicks and when can it be used legally? Thanks--

Answer
Terry
Thank you for your question.  I presume you are asking about free kick situations only rather than scrimmage kicks as well. A Kick-off is a free kick that starts each half and follows each try or field goal. It must be a place kick or a drop kick to be legal. A free kick place kick [on a Kick-off] 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.   The only time a Free Kick / Kick -off may be punted is following a Safety.  That can be made from the kicking team's restraining line or behind.  All other Kick-offs must be a place kick or Drop lick from the actual restraining line - not behind it or beyond it.

Below are the rules governing the Free Kick and drop kick on a free- kick.

RULE 2 SECTION 15. Kicks
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
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.

Punt
ARTICLE 2. A punt is a kick by a player who drops the ball and kicks it
before it strikes the ground.

Drop Kick
ARTICLE 3. A drop kick is a kick by a player who drops the ball and kicks
it as it touches the ground.

Place Kick
ARTICLE 4. 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. 2-15-4-I).

Free Kick
ARTICLE 5. 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.

Kickoff
ARTICLE 6. A kickoff is a free kick that starts each half and follows each try or field goal (Exception: Extra periods). It must be a place kick or a drop kick.

RULE 6 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 30-yard line, and for a free
kick after a safety, its 20-yard line.

Free Kick Formation
ARTICLE 2. 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-d) and
on or between the inbounds lines. 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.
When the ball is kicked (A.R. 6-1-2-I-IV):
a. Each Team A player, except the holder and kicker of a place kick, must
be behind the ball (A.R. 6-1-2-V and VI) [S18].
b. All Team A players must be inbounds [S19].
c. At least four Team A players must be on each side of the kicker [S19].
d. 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].
e. All players of Team A must have been between the nine-yard marks after
the ready-for-play signal [S19].
f. 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 inbounds immediately) [S19].
g. No Team A player may block an opponent until Team A is eligible to touch a free-kicked ball [S19].
PENALTY—Live-ball foul. Five yards from the previous spot, or five yards from the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to TeamB or from the spot where the ball is placed after a touchback [S18] (A.R. 6-1-2-VII).
h. All Team B players must be inbounds [S19].
i. All Team B players must be behind their restraining line [S18].
PENALTY—Live-ball foul. Five yards from the previous spot [S18 or S19].

Legal and Illegal Kicks
ARTICLE 10. 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 8 SECTION 5 Kick After Safety
ARTICLE 2. After a safety is scored, the ball belongs to the defending team at its own 20-yard line, and that team shall put the ball in play on or between the inbounds lines by a free kick that may be a punt, drop kick or place kick (Exception: Extra-period and try rules).