National Campus Championship Series

2007 & 2008 Flag Football Case Book

RULE 6. KICKING THE BALL

DELAYING THE DECISION TO KICK OR “GO FOR IT”

6.1.2 SITUATION: 4^th and 22.  The Referee asks the Team A captain if he/she wants to punt or “go for it.”  The Team A captain delays his/her decision.  RULING: The Referee can enforce “trying to consume time” and stop the game clock, if he/she thinks the Team A captain is using delaying tactics.

CONSUMING TIME BEFORE THE KICK

6.1.4 SITUATION: 4^th and 15.  Team A announces a punt.  There are 2 minutes remaining in the first half when the ball is snapped.  Center A2 snaps the ball to punter A3 who holds the ball for 6 or 7 seconds, then punts it out-of-bounds.  Approximately 15 seconds runs off the clock.  RULING: The Referee will enforce “trying to consume time.”  Penalize Team A 5 yards for illegal procedure from the previous spot.  Reset the game clock to 2 minutes and start the clock on the snap.

R TOUCHES THE PUNT BEYOND THE SCRIMMAGE LINE

6.1.6 SITUATION: R1, attempting to catch a punt, muffs the ball.  K3 catches the ball before it hits the ground and runs for a touchdown.  RULING: K’s ball at the spot where the ball was caught, first down and zone line-to-gain.  During a punt, K cannot advance a muff by R.  However, K can advance an airborne fumble by R because the punt has ended with possession.

KICK CATCH INTERFERENCE

6.2.1 SITUATION A: R1, attempting to catch a punt, touches the ball which is then caught by K1 before touching the ground.  RULING: Not interference.  Protection against kick catch interference ceases when any R player touches the ball.  It is dead where caught and belongs to K, first down and zone line-to-gain.

6.2.1 SITUATION B: A punt is in flight and (a) K3 is in the path of R2’s attempt to catch the ball or (b) K4 tags or deflags R2 before he/she touches the ball.  RULING: In (a) and (b), Kick catch interference.

6.2.1 SITUATION C: A punt is in flight and K1 touches the ball.  (a) R1 is in position to catch the kick.  (b) No receiver is in position to catch the kick.  RULING: (a) Kick catch interference.  (b) There is no kick catch interference since no receiver was in a position to catch the kick.