Onside kick

[d4footballfan]

On an onside kick, the kicking team cannot touch the ball or make player contact until it the ball crosses the 50 yard line, am I correct?? Now, can the receiving team come foward and cross the fifty after the kick to get the ball or do they have to wait for the ball to cross the 50 as well?

 

[Hampton Roads 6]

I would think the receiving team can get ball wherever they can.

as for kicking team, I think ball has to travel 10 yards, before they can touch it.

 

[White hat]

Receivers are free to go get the ball whenever they want.

The kicking team cannot recover the ball and cannot block until the ball goes 10 yards OR it is touched by the receiving team. If someone from the receiving team comes forward to get it, is first to touch it but doesn't gain possession, all restrictions are off and it's anybody's.

 

[rocketballz]

Ok, say the receiving front line (hands team) comes foward to receive the kick before it travels 10 yards. At the point when the receiving team comes forward, does the kicking team have the right to make contact or are they not allowed to block them in that 10 yard no contact zone until the receiving team touches the ball.

 

[White hat]

Correct, no contact until the receiving team touches the ball (or it goes 10 yards).

This may seem to give an advantage to the receiving team who could come forward and bait a kicking team player into contact, but this wouldn't be a very effective use of personnel.

The reason for this rule is that kicking teams were sending 2 or 3 players down to blast the would-be receivers. If they were waiting for the ball they were just sitting ducks to these hits.

I personally don't like the rule because it's hard to officiate, but it was the better option -- the others being outlawing onside kicks and even the occasional radical proposal to get rid of all kickoffs.

 

[GoMBKMonarchs]

I hate the rule

It totally changed how an onsides kick was coached. Of course you sent blockers downfield- the receiving team knew it and certainly could coach for that eventuality as well. It's just another element of the game that has been greatly watered down by a rules change. Regardless, as with all rules changes, it applies to everyone, so I'm not losing sleep over it.