Lakeville South Kicker ... sign him up

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CWCWCW

CWCWCW

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Okay, let's lead the nation in scholarship kickers.

I just watched the Lakeville South/Eagan game online. The game winning kick was made by Brandon Bakke (sp?) from Lakeville South.
55 yards, with plenty to spare. He nailed a 43 yarder earlier. Touchbacks every time he kicked off. I'm a believer.

What a freakish way to end the game. I can't even explain it, as I certainly am not familiar with the rule. Eagan is pinned deep in their own zone. The punter kicks the ball and it ends up on the 38 yard line. I think the Lakeville South kid made a fair catch, but I'm not sure. Anyway, after some discussion between Lakeville South coaches, and the officials, Bakke lines up for an uncontested 55 yard field goal. It had the appearance of a kickoff. Whamo. Right through the uprights.

Anyone with knowledge of the rule, please share.

By the way, the Eagan kicker was pounding them too. Besides the Zenner kid from Eagan, the kickers had the biggest impact in the game.
 

CWCWCW said:
Okay, let's lead the nation in scholarship kickers.

I just watched the Lakeville South/Eagan game online. The game winning kick was made by Brandon Bakke (sp?) from Lakeville South.
55 yards, with plenty to spare. He nailed a 43 yarder earlier. Touchbacks every time he kicked off. I'm a believer.

What a freakish way to end the game. I can't even explain it, as I certainly am not familiar with the rule. Eagan is pinned deep in their own zone. The punter kicks the ball and it ends up on the 38 yard line. I think the Lakeville South kid made a fair catch, but I'm not sure. Anyway, after some discussion between Lakeville South coaches, and the officials, Bakke lines up for an uncontested 55 yard field goal. It had the appearance of a kickoff. Whamo. Right through the uprights.

Anyone with knowledge of the rule, please share.

By the way, the Eagan kicker was pounding them too. Besides the Zenner kid from Eagan, the kickers had the biggest impact in the game.
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Exactly right. After a fair catch, the receiving team has the option of a free kick from the line of scrimmage where the fair catch was caught. Because it is a free kick, the opposing team must line up in receiving formation, 10 yards back, just like a regular kick off.

It's very seldom seen, of course. The last time I remember one was the Packers and Paul Hornung did it in an NFL game.
 

I remember practicing this in high school. If a player fair catches a punt, the receiving team can "exercise their free kick option," meaning exactly what you said.

Keep an eye on that Zenner kid. We missed on his brother, and for those who think we didn't miss and he's only good because he plays at SDSU, you literally have no idea what you are talking about. If Sam Zenner (Jr.) develops like Zach did, he would be a nice addition for coach Kill. I don't even know what position he would play at the next level, but he is one hell of an athlete.
 

We lost a game in High School on a free kick with about 40 seconds left. No one knew what the heck was going on and it took at least 10 minutes to get it all sorted out before the kick. It was a total cluster-you know what. What a terrible way to lose a game. But it was all within the rules.
 

Dr.Don said:
Exactly right. After a fair catch, the receiving team has the option of a free kick from the line of scrimmage where the fair catch was caught. Because it is a free kick, the opposing team must line up in receiving formation, 10 yards back, just like a regular kick off.

It's very seldom seen, of course. The last time I remember one was the Packers and Paul Hornung did it in an NFL game.
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You are right on Doc. I was thinking of the Packers doing that, too
 


Very rare move and one that I'm surprised isn't used more at the college and pro levels.
 

Do you get to kick the field goal from a tee?
 


HA! My dad has been telling me about the "free kick" play for 30 years but I had never heard of it happening in modern times. I'm guessing he saw it watching the packer game Dr. Don referenced.
 



The thing of it is, when that happened with the Packers and Paul Hornung (it won the game, btw), no one on the team, fans, tv audience, et al, except for Vince Lombardi and the refs knew the rule. Talk about a conversation event for weeks after, WOW!!!
 

I'll bet half the nfl coaches don't know the rule. Maybe college too. I've seen many games over the years where this option should have been used and was not.....and never mentioned by the announcers.
 

station19 said:
I'll bet half the nfl coaches don't know the rule. Maybe college too. I've seen many games over the years where this option should have been used and was not.....and never mentioned by the announcers.
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+1. In this day and age when you've got guys who are showing off from 70 yards away during warm-ups, I cannot understand why it isn't used more. It seems to me someone has used it since the Packers in the early-1960s. I want to say the KC Chiefs and Nick Lowery, but I could easily be mistaken on that.
 

If you miss does the ball go back to the line of scrimmage? Can the missed kick be returned much like a kickoff?
 



50PoundHead said:
+1. In this day and age when you've got guys who are showing off from 70 yards away during warm-ups, I cannot understand why it isn't used more. It seems to me someone has used it since the Packers in the early-1960s. I want to say the KC Chiefs and Nick Lowery, but I could easily be mistaken on that.
Click to expand...

I was thinking the same.
 

GopherJack said:
If you miss does the ball go back to the line of scrimmage? Can the missed kick be returned much like a kickoff?
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I'm pretty sure it is treated like a regular kick off so you can return it. If it is no good, then it is a touchback for the returning team. That is why it should only be used late in the half/game.
 

GophersInIowa said:
I'm pretty sure it is treated like a regular kick off so you can return it. If it is no good, then it is a touchback for the returning team. That is why it should only be used late in the half/game.
Click to expand...

That is correct. As a free kick, after it travels the required 10 yards it is a live ball just like a regular kick off.
 

Didn't Sebastian Janikowski try a 75 yard free kick last year? I think he was about 5 yards short and a bit wide. Still, it's a cool play.

According to the NFL: "The free kick field goal is a seldom-seen play in the National Football League. The play is so rare that the last successful free kick field goal in an NFL game, as of June 2010, came on Nov. 3, 1968. Chicago Bears kicker Mac Percival won the game for his team against the Minnesota Vikings by kicking a 43-yard field goal under this rule with just 20 seconds left in the contest. Many fans are unfamiliar with the rules that cover this scenario."
 

By the way - talked to a guy I know that is a HS and college ref. Free kicks are allowed in HS and NFL but not allowed in NCAA football. So don't get any ideas about Santoso trying this in a couple years.
 

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