What are the rules for punting in football?
Either team can down a punt after it hits the ground or after one of its players touches the ball past the line of scrimmage. To down the ball, a player must be in possession of the ball, stop his forward movement, and drop to one knee. Such action leads to an official blowing his whistle, signaling the end of action.
What happens if a punter kicks a field goal?
A field goal cannot be scored on a punt kick. By contrast, the now very rarely attempted drop kick can be used to score either field goals or extra points in both American and Canadian football.
Can a punter pass the ball?
He can, yes. A relatively common method of staging a fake punt is for the punter to receive the ball from the snap and pass it (the other options tend to involve a run, either from the punter or one of the up-backs).
Can you hit the punter in college football?
In general, hitting the kicker or punter in any way, while they are in the act of kicking the ball, will likely result in a penalty.
Can you punt past the line of scrimmage?
Article 1 Team A may attempt a punt, drop kick, or placekick from behind the line of scrimmage. Penalty: For a punt, drop kick, or placekick that is kicked from beyond the line of scrimmage or not from scrimmage: Loss of 10 yards from the spot of the kick.
Can the punting team catch the punt?
If the punting team catches the punt, it’s the same as if they had just touched the ball in an attempt to “down” it at that spot. The play is over, the ball is marked at the spot where the ball was caught, and the opposing team goes on offense with a first down at that spot.
Can a punter catch his own punt?
Yes, when punting the punter himself as well as any of his teammates have the option to catch the ball. Though when a punt is caught by the punting team they do not remain in possession of the ball.
What’s the penalty for roughing the punter?
For roughing the kicker: Loss of 15 yards from the previous spot (personal foul) and an automatic first down. The player may be disqualified if the action is flagrant. For running into the kicker: Loss of five yards from the previous spot (not a personal foul). There is not an automatic first down.
Is roughing the punter a first down?
Meanwhile, roughing the kicker, like other well-known calls (such as pass interference, illegal use of hands, or a facemask), is a personal foul, a 15-yard penalty, and an automatic first down for the kicking team.
How far back is the punter from the line of scrimmage?
While punters typically stand 15 yards behind the line of scrimmage and placekickers 7 yards, they can choose to kick the ball from where ever they choose. It makes sense to use the spot of the kick for a field goal because that represents the actual length of a kick.
Can a punter catch his own punt and run it?
Can a punter recover his own punt?
The kicking team cannot recover their own punt, except for the kicker and any players that were behind the kicker when he kicked. Which is usually all eleven—yes eleven—of the other players on the field.