This has always bugged me and, thou I'm sure I would handle it differently than seemingly every team ever, I'm not quite sure what my plan would be. The scenario: your opponent commits a foul either on a play where you score a TD/FG, or on the XP. The penalty is assessed on the kickoff. Pretty much 100% of the time this results in the kicker getting to attempt to prove he can kick it all the way through the uprights and making it a touchback in any case.

Why? That seems like a) a wasted penalty and b) a free penalty for the other team once your squad scores (if the worst outcome is a touchback? hell, go wild). Why not pooch a kick to the right or left third of the field near the goal line with enough height to make it likely you'll tackle the returner before the 25-yard-line (the touchback placement in college). If it's pooched too far for a touchback, no big deal...it just seems better than booting the ball 20 rows deep in the end zone.

To get real exotic, don't the rules technically allow a team to punt instead of kickoff? How many punters could pooch the ball within the 10 with no rush? That rule may be that you can drop-kick instead of place kick.

Don't get your thought on a pooch punt. They could catch and return it unless you're just thinking of extra hang time. Obviously you can't kick it out of bounds or they get it at the 35.

Personally, I would consider an on sides kick in that situation, just making it look like you are going to drive it away or maybe like you said, spot kicking to a dead spot and hope for a funny bounce.

(10-20-2013 10:46 PM)banker Wrote:  Don't get your thought on a pooch punt. They could catch and return it unless you're just thinking of extra hang time. Obviously you can't kick it out of bounds or they get it at the 35.

Personally, I would consider an on sides kick in that situation, just making it look like you are going to drive it away or maybe like you said, spot kicking to a dead spot and hope for a funny bounce.

Yeah, thought was the extra hang time would get max coverage around the returner and unlikely they could reach the 25. If they did, well that's just crappy coverage and your team probably should just concede the touchback.

Mostly it bugs me to see a personal foul by the defense on a scoring play. It's assessed on the kickoff which is a "ho-hum" touchback. Pretty much a free roundhouse kick to the face...so long as you don't make contact with the top of your helmet.

Honestly, I've only see one coach (and I can't remember who), who basically squib kicked the kickoff after any kickoff-related 15 yard penalty. He even said his reasoning was that my guys should be able to get there faster than the returner should be able to cradle the ball and take off running.