And Another Thing...........

[NNDman]

In the same aforementioned game, K attempted another onside kick. This time the kicker pounded the ball into the ground creating the pop-up effect (off the first bounce). Isn't this now illegal? No flag was thrown.

 

[VAOfficial]

In the same aforementioned game, K attempted another onside kick. This time the kicker pounded the ball into the ground creating the pop-up effect (off the first bounce). Isn't this now illegal? No flag was thrown.

NFHS Rule 2-24-10: “A pop-up kick is a free kick in which the kicker drives the ball immediately into the ground, the ball strikes the ground once and goes into the air in the manner of a ball kicked directly off the tee.”

The key judgment here is where it says “into the air in the manner of a ball kicked directly off the tee.” How high is that? That’s the million dollar question. The answer is: it depends on the given situation. In my personal opinion (which obviously has no official bearing and is just a tool I use personally), head height is a bare minimum (~6 feet). This is a minimum suggested by a few well known state interpreters across the US. On any given kick, I take into account the overall trajectory of the ball and it’s bounce height before I will rule it illegal. Since every kick is different, one kick may be higher or lower than another but still legal. The key thing to realize is that this rule is in place to protect a receiver from being “blown up” without protection. When the ball hit the ground, they lost their catch protection. If the ball height/trajectory puts a receiver at risk, in my opinion, that’s when I rule this a foul.

As said above, this is a judgment call. Judgment combined with this being a brand new rule means there’s going to be a wide array of opinions on what is legal and what is not.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

NFHS Rule 2-24-10: “A pop-up kick is a free kick in which the kicker drives the ball immediately into the ground, the ball strikes the ground once and goes into the air in the manner of a ball kicked directly off the tee.”

The key judgment here is where it says “into the air in the manner of a ball kicked directly off the tee.” How high is that? That’s the million dollar question. The answer is: it depends on the given situation. In my personal opinion (which obviously has no official bearing and is just a tool I use personally), head height is a bare minimum (~6 feet). This is a minimum suggested by a few well known state interpreters across the US. On any given kick, I take into account the overall trajectory of the ball and it’s bounce height before I will rule it illegal. Since every kick is different, one kick may be higher or lower than another but still legal. The key thing to realize is that this rule is in place to protect a receiver from being “blown up” without protection. When the ball hit the ground, they lost their catch protection. If the ball height/trajectory puts a receiver at risk, in my opinion, that’s when I rule this a foul.

As said above, this is a judgment call. Judgment combined with this being a brand new rule means there’s going to be a wide array of opinions on what is legal and what is not.

Have you called it yet? Have you even had to consider calling it? My guess is when it does happen it will be an accidental strike by the kicker. Either he tops the ball by accident, or he flubs an onside kick attempt.

 

[VAOfficial]

Have you called it yet? Have you even had to consider calling it? My guess is when it does happen it will be an accidental strike by the kicker. Either he tops the ball by accident, or he flubs an onside kick attempt.

One time in week 2. No one else I’ve heard of has. It was a botched onside kick attempt.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Thanks, and thanks for always being available for us non-officials.