![]() He remains the kicker until he has had a reasonable time to regain his balance. Now we turn to the fellow who will be doing the kicking: Rule 2-26-3-a: The kicker is any player who punts, drop kicks or place kicks according to rule. Leaving aside the fact that the NCAA needs a lesson in why one should use the Oxford comma all the time, we’re now clear that a punt is a legal form of scrimmage kick made from a scrimmage kick formation. Rule 2-16-10-a: A scrimmage kick formation is a formation with at least one player seven yards or more behind the neutral zone, no player in position to receive a hand-to-hand snap from between the snapper’s legs, and it is obvious that a kick may be attempted. Rule 2-15-7-a: A scrimmage kick made in or behind the neutral zone is a legal kick by Team A during a scrimmage down before team possession changes. Rule 2-15-2: A punt is a kick by a player who drops the ball and kicks it before it strikes the ground. Let’s start with the basics: Rule 2-15-1-a: Kicking the ball is intentionally striking the ball with the knee, lower leg or foot. Is there a way to negate the advantage the punting team gains by adopting this strategy? Actually, in a welcome instance of the NCAA rules committee making a salutary change to the guidelines governing the sport, there is: The kick is not likely to go as far as a Drew Butler boomer would, but the return man is far less likely to gain any ground once he takes possession, and the coverage team has a good chance of being able to watch the ball roll to a stop before downing it. A football coach’s fear of Brandon Boykin is the beginning of his wisdom, and, as Dawg2011 has noted, opposing coaches have wised up by employing the increasingly infamous "rugby-style" punt, which allows the punter to roll out to one side rather than drop straight back, thereby buying time for his teammates to get downfield and cover the punt. ![]()
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