SMFOANCAA RULE #9

Illegal Batting & Illegally KickingPRESENTED BY: MIKE BYRONOctober 8th, 2014

The Definition of Batting

• 2.11.3 – Batting: Batting the ball is intentionally striking it or intentionally changing its direction with the hand(s) or arm(s). When in question, the ball is accidentally touched rather than batted. Batting the ball does not change its status.

Directional Batting Rules of Thumb

• In general, cannot bat forwards in the field of play. (there are few exceptions.)

• You may bat backwards in the field of play.• Cannot bat in any direction within the

Endzone.

5 Circumstances of Legal Batting

• Any player eligible to touch a forward pass may bat it in any direction

• A backward pass in flight may be batted in any direction by the defensive team.

• A ball in player possession may be batted in any direction by the opposing team.

5 Circumstances of Legal Batting

• A player may block a scrimmage kick in the field of play or in the end zone.

• Any Loose ball not mentioned above may be batted backward in the field of play except if a Team A player bats a kick in flight backwards it is a foul if Team B player is in position to catch the ball. (High Punt batted backwards by A)

Penalty• The penalty for illegal batting is 10 yards and loss of

down. There are exceptions to the loss of down and, in one case, illegal batting is a violation touchback.

• it is a violation touchback if Team A bats a scrimmage kick in Team B’s end zone that was untouched by Team B after the kick crossed the neutral zone.

• The penalty is enforced according to the “3-and-1” principle.

When does Batting NOT include Loss of Down?

• A backward pass batted forward by the passing team.

• A ball in player possession batted forward by a player of the team in possession.

• A team bats a scrimmage kick beyond the neutral zone.

Play #1

• A 3/12 from A26. A43 fumbles the ball at the A27. B55, in an attempt to keep A from recovery, bats the ball forward towards A’s endzone at the A30. B recovers at the A23. Ruling?

Play #1 Ruling

• Illegal Batting on B55. The basic spot is the A27 (spot of fumble and EOR.) Enforce 10 yard penalty from there and replay the down. A ball 3/1 from the A37.

• On the snap, or on the wind?

Ruling Continued. Timing.

• The clock will start on the RFP. Wind it.AR 3.3.2 III

• NFHS 5.1.3d

Play #2

• 2/12 from the A8. A12 drops back to pass and fumbles at the A3. In an attempt to keep B from recovering, A8 bats the ball backwards through his endzone at the A2. Ruling?

Play #2 Ruling

• This is a legal play. Team A may bat the ball backwards within the field of play (except the endzone.) The result of the play is a safety.

Play #3

• 3/12 from the A2. Quarterback A18 drops back into his end zone to pass. He fumbles the ball while in the endzone. While the ball remains in the endzone (a.) A18 bats it out of the back of the end zone or (b.) to the side where A33 recovers the ball and advances it to the A4. Ruling?

Play #3 Ruling

• A foul for illegal batting; a player may not bat a loose ball in any direction if the ball is in the end zone. (a.) The result of the play and the penalty are the same. A safety. (b.) Team B has the option to accept the penalty which occurred in the endzone, resulting in a safety, or to decline the penalty in which the result of the play is 4/10 from the A4.

Illegally Kicking

• Illegally Kicking the ball carries a 10 yard penalty and with one exception, includes loss of down. Illegally Kicking never causes the ball to be immediately dead.

• The penalty is enforced according to the “3-and-1” principle.• Always a loss of down, unless, a team kicks the

ball while it is a scrimmage kick beyond the neutral zone. (must “be” not just “has been”)

Play #1

• 4/10 at A35. Team A’s scrimmage kick crosses the neutral zone. As the ball is rolling along the ground, A67 kicks it out of bounds at the B35. Ruling?

Play #1 Ruling

• Because the basic spot is the previous spot, if penalty is accepted under 3-and-1, it will be enforced 10 yards from the previous spot and 4th down will be replayed from the A25. No loss of down as scrimmage kick ball is beyond NZ. Since the ball belongs to Team B, the penalty could also be accepted at the succeeding spot 1/10 B45.

Play #2

• 4/10 A35. A72’s punt is partially blocked, crosses the neutral zone , and is forced back behind the neutral zone where A89 kicks the ball at the A33 where it rolls out of bounds at the A31. Ruling?

Play #2 Ruling

• A foul for illegally kicking. Foul takes place behind the basic spot (previous,) so the enforcement may occur from the spot of the foul (A33.) Because the Scrimm. Kick was behind the NZ (even though the ball first crossed the NZ) the penalty includes loss of down. Team B’s ball, 1st down. Since the ball will be snapped next by B, B may elect enforcement to be from the succeeding spot, the A31. 1/10 from the A21.

Video

• Illegally Kicking• http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiG4N_c9l2M• http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_2OTb2PiNY• Illegal Bat• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXSvLr7N

9hw• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KpkG_J-

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