What is the minimum number of players you can have on one side of the kicker during the kickoff formation? My thought was four on 1 side of the kicker and 6 on the other. What is the correct rule on that?
kickoff formation in high school football...
- Thread starter rocketballz
- Start date
Got to have at least 4 on each side. So it can be 4 & 6 or 5 & 5.
There was a common sense change in the rule this season. Last year there the formation had to be legal when the ready or play whistle was sounded. Now the 4 player minimum needs to be met before the kick, but is not necessary at the RFP whistle.
There was a common sense change in the rule this season. Last year there the formation had to be legal when the ready or play whistle was sounded. Now the 4 player minimum needs to be met before the kick, but is not necessary at the RFP whistle.
Who keeps the time after the RFP whistle? Does the length of time ever change. For example, if the clock is stopped by an official to address a player equipment malfunction, and quickly blows the RFP whistle again.
Can a team have all 11 in a group, wait for the RFP, put everyone in motion and be legal if 4 get to the other side of the ball before it is kicked? Almost like a moving kickoff formation?
The back judge keeps time if there is no play clock. Like any other play, a team has 25 seconds from the whistle to start the play. If something happens to stop it, an official sounds the whistle and stops the clock, then a new 25 starts at the next RFP.
Yes, teams can be in bunch formation and run guys around the kicker so long as there are at least 4 on each side at the kick.
Oddly enough, the referee, who is 60 yards away from the ball, is in the best position to see whether the formation is legal because he is looking right at the ball from the middle of the field and is in the best position to count. I dread throwing a flag for something 60 yards away but it might be necessary.
Yes, teams can be in bunch formation and run guys around the kicker so long as there are at least 4 on each side at the kick.
Oddly enough, the referee, who is 60 yards away from the ball, is in the best position to see whether the formation is legal because he is looking right at the ball from the middle of the field and is in the best position to count. I dread throwing a flag for something 60 yards away but it might be necessary.
For sure, nothing gets the ire of the coaches and fans up quicker than a flag from an official a good distance from the play. This call on the kickoff would probably be easy to understand, but others like calling holding from 30 or so yards away causes me concern. The first thing that comes to my mind is that an official closer to the penalty is missing too many calls and the other officials are having to do double duty. I know this is probably not the case, but I still can't help but wonder sometimes.
One of three things is happening when a official throws a flag a long way.
1. The field was stretched by a deep ball and the officials are farther thn usual from the foul.
2. The official has a certain key and was watching that player (I've seen this happen when a back judge sees his key make an illegal block near the line of scrimmage -- much nearer another official -- but that block by that player was exactly what that deep official was looking for.)
3. The official is 'fishing in someone else's pond,' meaning they are making calls in someone else's area of responsibility and there will be a discussion later, that's a promise. Sometimes there's a reason, such as the player is turned and there's no way the nearest official could have seen the foul, but often this is just a call that shouldn't have been made. It happens. None of us is perfect. Thing is, most fans don't know the keys the officials are watching or think about an official being straight-lined, screened or blocked, so assuming the reason for a long toss of the flag is because someone's officiating wrong isn't a good idea.
1. The field was stretched by a deep ball and the officials are farther thn usual from the foul.
2. The official has a certain key and was watching that player (I've seen this happen when a back judge sees his key make an illegal block near the line of scrimmage -- much nearer another official -- but that block by that player was exactly what that deep official was looking for.)
3. The official is 'fishing in someone else's pond,' meaning they are making calls in someone else's area of responsibility and there will be a discussion later, that's a promise. Sometimes there's a reason, such as the player is turned and there's no way the nearest official could have seen the foul, but often this is just a call that shouldn't have been made. It happens. None of us is perfect. Thing is, most fans don't know the keys the officials are watching or think about an official being straight-lined, screened or blocked, so assuming the reason for a long toss of the flag is because someone's officiating wrong isn't a good idea.
