The NFL Rule 9 Scrimmage Kick (1 Viewer)

[SaintsInDome2006]

I have thought about the following for quite a while, because I'm fascinated by the DNA of football and how there's still some ghost of the turn of the 20th Century rugby style "foot" ball left in our sport we love so much.

It just amazes me how head coaches don't dig deep to see what's there.

On that point, I give you this - a play from an Eastern Kentucky University game.

I have thought this is possible for a while, but have never seen this.

I think this is still permissable in NFL football. I think it's the Rule 9 scrimmage kick, but not sure.

Any other possibilities?

http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2013-09-24/trick-punt-fake-eastern-kentucky-punter-first-down-ncaa-rule?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmaing8%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D380995

 

[Grigs Allmoon]

I think your success rate of throwing the ball in that situation.

I also don't think your odds of catching a team in less than one on one on the wide outs of a punt formation. for some reason that team had 1 defender and two wide outs.

 

[Steeler]

The play is legal as long as the ball is caught behind the line of scrimmage -- otherwise it would be just like downing the ball on a punt -- and this play was.

I don't see anyone in the NFL doing this, ever.

 

[Not Sleeping]

Just how bad is that punter at throwing the ball that he prefers to kick it to someone?

 

[Joe Summer]

That play might not be legal in the NFL, as it looks like the ball was first touched beyond the line of scrimmage. From the rulebook:

FIRST TOUCHING BEYOND THE LINE

Article 2 First touching is when a player of the kicking team touches a scrimmage kick that is beyond the line of scrimmage before it has been touched by a player of the receiving team beyond the line. If the ball is first touched by a player of the kicking team, it remains in play. First touching is a violation, and the receivers shall have the option of taking possession of the ball at the spot of first touching, provided no penalty is accepted on the play, or at the spot where the ball is dead.

 

[Joe Summer]

Would that count as a Special Teams play or what??

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Would that count as a Special Teams play or what??

It went into the books as a "Pass", by the punter, Berry:

http://espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=332642413

Considering the history of football that might make sense since once upon a time the only way to move the ball forward was this way, since the forward pass was illegal (or at least it was illegal past the line of scrimmage, like it is today with the scrimmage kick).

By the way, EKU won this game 56-24, so I'm sure that helped.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

That play might not be legal in the NFL, as it looks like the ball was first touched beyond the line of scrimmage. From the rulebook:

FIRST TOUCHING BEYOND THE LINE

Article 2 First touching is when a player of the kicking team touches a scrimmage kick that is beyond the line of scrimmage before it has been touched by a player of the receiving team beyond the line. If the ball is first touched by a player of the kicking team, it remains in play. First touching is a violation, and the receivers shall have the option of taking possession of the ball at the spot of first touching, provided no penalty is accepted on the play, or at the spot where the ball is dead.

Actually this one in the EKU game was behind the line of scrimmage too, so if done this way it would be a legal play in the NFL under Rule 9.

Not much point or purpose to it I'd say, and the modern cigar-like shape of the NFL ball makes it pretty tough, but I just think it's interesting that it's squirreled away in the ol' rule book.

 

[Warrior]

Would that count as a Special Teams play or what??

That play might not be legal in the NFL, as it looks like the ball was first touched beyond the line of scrimmage. From the rulebook:

FIRST TOUCHING BEYOND THE LINE

Article 2 First touching is when a player of the kicking team touches a scrimmage kick that is beyond the line of scrimmage before it has been touched by a player of the receiving team beyond the line. If the ball is first touched by a player of the kicking team, it remains in play. First touching is a violation, and the receivers shall have the option of taking possession of the ball at the spot of first touching, provided no penalty is accepted on the play, or at the spot where the ball is dead.

Per the link, it was not behind the line of scrimmage.

 

[Joe Summer]

I think the ball was caught past the line of scrimmage but the refs were too stunned to notice.