Expert: Vic Winnek - 3/6/2009

Question
What, under the rules of football, is an illegal kick on a kickoff? Can you give me some idea as to why it is illegal to kick it out-of bounds after it touches the playing surface?

Answer
Nicholas


Rules 2-15 and 6-2 govern the  illegal kicks on kick offs.  I have listed the relevant rule cites below.  One of the rationales why it is illegal to kick the ball out-of bounds on a free kick after it touches the playing surface is because such an act does not permit the receiving team to return the ball.  It is a foul so as to encourage kicks that can be returned for fair competition.  The idea is to put the ball into play so that the kicking team's opponents have an opportunity to compete and to return the ball.


RULE 2 SECTION 15. defines Kicks
Legal and Illegal Kicks
ARTICLE 1. Kicking the ball is intentionally striking the ball with the knee, lower leg or foot. When in question, a ball is accidentally touched rather than intentionally kicked.
a. 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 (A.R. 6-1-2-I).

b. Any free kick or scrimmage kick continues to be a kick until it is caught or recovered by a player or becomes dead.

Article 4
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.

Return Kick
ARTICLE 8. A return kick is a kick by a player of the team in possession after change of team possession during a down and is an illegal kick. It is a live-ball foul, and the ball becomes dead.

RULE 6 SECTION 2. Free Kick Out of Bounds
Kicking Team
ARTICLE 1. A free kick out of bounds between the goal lines untouched by an inbounds player of Team B is a foul (A.R. 6-2-1-I-IV).
PENALTY—Live-ball foul. Five yards from the previous spot; or five yards from the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team
B; or the receiving team may put the ball in play 30 yards beyond Team A’s restraining line at the inbounds spot [S19].

Receiving Team
ARTICLE 2. When a free kick goes out of bounds between the goal lines, the ball belongs to the receiving team at the inbounds spot. When a free kick goes out of bounds behind the goal line, the ball belongs to the team defending that goal line (A.R. 6-2-2-I-IV).

RULE 6 SECTION 2
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.
PENALTY—For a return kick (live-ball foul): Five yards from the spot of the foul [S31].
c. A scrimmage kick made beyond the neutral zone is an illegal kick and a liveball foul that causes the ball to become dead.

PENALTY—For an illegal kick beyond the neutral zone (live-ball foul): Five yards from the previous spot and loss of down [S31 and S9].
d. Any device or material used to mark the spot of a scrimmage place kick or elevate the ball makes the kick illegal.
PENALTY—For an illegal kick (live-ball foul): Five yards from the previous spot [S31].

RULE 9
Illegally Kicking Ball
ARTICLE 4. A player shall not kick a loose ball, a forward pass or a ball being held for a place kick by an opponent. These illegal acts do not change the status of the loose ball or forward pass; but if the player holding the ball for a place kick loses possession during a scrimmage down, it is a fumble and a loose ball; if during a free kick, the ball remains dead (A.R. 8-7-2-VII).
PENALTY—15 yards, basic spot and loss of down if the loss of down is
not in conflict with other rules (Rules 10-2-2-c, d, e and f)[S31 and S9] (Exception: No loss of down if the foul occurs when a legal scrimmage kick is beyond the neutral zone).