Pretty big change to kickoffs I wonder how our ST will adapt
4 comments
The modification calls for all players on the kicking team to line up at the receiving team’s 40-yard line while the receiving team lines nine players up on its own 35. Two men will line up downfield as returners. The kicker will still kick off from his own 35. The kickoff team defenders wouldn’t be permitted to move until the ball lands on the ground in the “landing zone” — inside the receiving team’s 20-yard line. If the ball lands short of the landing zone, the ball would be moved to the receiving team’s 40-yard line just as if a kickoff sails out of bounds. Touchbacks would call for the ball to be moved to the receiving team’s 30.
The only drawback of the new format is that it eliminates the element of the surprise onside kick. Now, if a team wishes to attempt an onside kick in the fourth quarter, it will declare such intentions and teams will line up in the old formation and kick off. – athletic take
Zone rules:
• The ball has to be returned if it’s kicked into the landing zone.
• If the ball is kicked short of the landing zone or out of bounds, it will be placed on the 40-yard line.
• The ball can still be returned if it rolls to the end zone or kicked to the end zone through the air.
• If the ball is kicked into the landing zone, rolls into the end zone and gets downed by the kickoff team, it will placed at the 20-yard line.
• If the ball is kicked through the air to the end zone and gets downed, it will be placed at the 30-yard line.
Procedural:
• Every member of the coverage team (kicking team) aside from the kicker has to have one foot on the 40-yard line.
• The coverage team cannot move until the ball is touched by the return team or hits the ground in the landing zone.
• The return team can have nine to 10 players blocking in the set up zone depending on whether it has one or two returners (maximum two returners).
• The return team must have at least seven players on the 35-yard line (it can have two or three players off the line but in the set up zone).
• The return team cannot move until the ball is touched or hits the ground (presumably a referee will signal when they can move since their backs will be turned to the landing zone).
Are the implementing it immediately or we doing a few seasons of this in the preseason?
What would stop a team from announcing an onside kick and then just kicking it deep for a touchback to avoid a return?
4 comments
The modification calls for all players on the kicking team to line up at the receiving team’s 40-yard line while the receiving team lines nine players up on its own 35. Two men will line up downfield as returners. The kicker will still kick off from his own 35. The kickoff team defenders wouldn’t be permitted to move until the ball lands on the ground in the “landing zone” — inside the receiving team’s 20-yard line. If the ball lands short of the landing zone, the ball would be moved to the receiving team’s 40-yard line just as if a kickoff sails out of bounds. Touchbacks would call for the ball to be moved to the receiving team’s 30.
The only drawback of the new format is that it eliminates the element of the surprise onside kick. Now, if a team wishes to attempt an onside kick in the fourth quarter, it will declare such intentions and teams will line up in the old formation and kick off. – athletic take
Zone rules:
• The ball has to be returned if it’s kicked into the landing zone.
• If the ball is kicked short of the landing zone or out of bounds, it will be placed on the 40-yard line.
• The ball can still be returned if it rolls to the end zone or kicked to the end zone through the air.
• If the ball is kicked into the landing zone, rolls into the end zone and gets downed by the kickoff team, it will placed at the 20-yard line.
• If the ball is kicked through the air to the end zone and gets downed, it will be placed at the 30-yard line.
Procedural:
• Every member of the coverage team (kicking team) aside from the kicker has to have one foot on the 40-yard line.
• The coverage team cannot move until the ball is touched by the return team or hits the ground in the landing zone.
• The return team can have nine to 10 players blocking in the set up zone depending on whether it has one or two returners (maximum two returners).
• The return team must have at least seven players on the 35-yard line (it can have two or three players off the line but in the set up zone).
• The return team cannot move until the ball is touched or hits the ground (presumably a referee will signal when they can move since their backs will be turned to the landing zone).
Are the implementing it immediately or we doing a few seasons of this in the preseason?
What would stop a team from announcing an onside kick and then just kicking it deep for a touchback to avoid a return?