On a kickoff, is the kicker allowed to just kick it really high so his team can get it?

Question

I didn't that you were allowed to do it. I thought the ball had to be touched by somebody on the other side before they could get the ball.

Answer 1

I'm your proof if the ball travels 10 yards any one can pick it up, and the spot where the kicking team gets it is where the kicking team's offense starts a new possession.

Answer 2

yeah but you are kicking off a stand so its not really going to happen the angle isnt there like a punt where you drop kick it.

there was a game withe the packers - the year the won the sb with favre - a playoff game where their kick returner was still in the locker room and never got to the field and the other team just kicked it off and since nobody was back there the team that kicked it just picked it up and scored a td. The packers still won the game but everyone was like WTF.

Answer 3

a kickoff is a live ball after it goes 10 yards. anyone can go after it after that point

Answer 4

yes u can! but it has to travel 10 yards!!! u can receive ur own kickoff u just can't receive your own punt!!!

but nobody would kick it really high so their team could get it! they'd do an onside kick!!!

Answer 5

Yes, but it must travel 10 yards! The other team does not have to touch it. Any kickoff must be touched down, either by the receiving team or kicking team. The only exception is a touchback or a kick out of bounds and the receiving team elects to take the ball on the 35 yard line!

Answer 6

Yes they could attempt to recover it even if the other team doesn't touch it as long as it travels 10 yards.  Evidently its too hard to do because no team ever tries it.  Instead they try bouncing it called an onside kick.

Answer 7

What you thought was right. The other team has to make contact with the ball before it can become a live ball. Kicking the ball really high will just give the opponent good field possession. Kickers do that sometimes in situations where they don't want to returner to return for a touchdown. (Devon Hester)

Answer 8

The receiving team does not have to touch the ball first in order for the kicking team to recover it past 10 yards. But the receiving team HAS THE RIGHT TO CATCH THE BALL ON THE FLY WITHOUT INTERFERENCE FROM THE KICKING TEAM. If this were not the case, on every kickoff, the kicking team could effectively attempt an onside kick fairly deep into opposing territory by "kicking the ball really high into the air so his team can get it."

Answer 9

There is a play called an on side kick where the ball must travel at least 10 or more yards after which it is any mans ball as long as you can cover it successfully.

The reason a team would kick a ball extremely high is to allow his team enough time to get down field and cover the person that is suppose to catch the ball.

This has been the rule in professional and amateur football for as long as I can remember.

If you are looking for exactr proof then you would have to go to the NFL rules to verify this.

I hope this has been of some use to you, good luck.

"FIGHT ON"

Answer 10

If the ball travels 10 yards first, anybody can recover it. If the kicker kicks it real high, like you said, the kicking team still cannot recover it unless it travels 10 yards downfield.

EDIT: We are all right. The ball must travel 10 yards for the kicking team to recover, UNLESS the other team touches it first. I forgot to add that before, my bad.

Answer 11

well, the other team doesn't have to touch it for the kicking team to recover after it is past ten yards. but if the recieving team call fair catch, the kicking team has to wait till it hits the ground in order to recover it.

Answer 12

The particulars depend on the level of football, NFHS (HS in most states), NCAA (college and HS in 2 states), or NFL.  I cannot speak to NFL rules exactly because I do not own a rule book for them.

In HS and NCAA there are if the kicking team catches the ball it is dead.  The ball will belong to them if one of two things have happened.  

1) The ball touched a receiving team player, or

2) The ball went 10 yards and...

Now, here is where the different rules diverge a little.

HS...the hit the ground.  It can hit the ground then travel 10 yards, or travel 10 yards then hit the ground.  It doesn't matter.

NCAA ...stays at least 10 yards downfield.  No requirement that it touches the ground.

So in any level if the ball hit a receiver, it's fair game.  The kicking team can recover it and have a 1st down.

If the ball is pooched up in the air and a kicker catches it 12 yards downfield before it hits the ground. HS - Penalty.  NCAA - Kicking team's ball

If the ball is pooched up in the air, travels 12 yards, then a stiff wind pushes it back so that it hits the ground 8 yards from where it was kicked, then a kicker recovers it.  HS - Kicking team's ball.  NCAA - Violation.

Confused?  So am I every time I have to shift from Friday night to Saturday  :-)

Answer 13

as long as it goes 10 yards

the other team does not have to touch the ball