Someone explain to me where we are rule wise on fielding punts,

I didn’t see if he was blocked into the returner during the play but officials usually only throw that flag when
1. The contact is unnecessary
2. It Impacts the catch (muff)

eta - as an official I don’t like throwing that flag unless I have to when it’s a safety issue. The rule book is a bit vague concerning that penalty for both high school and college.

This is technically the rule if you’re interested.

ART. 6 . . . While any free kick is in flight in or beyond the neutral zone to the receiver’s goal line or any scrimmage kick is in flight beyond the neutral zone to the receiver’s goal line, K shall not:

a. Touch the ball or R, unless blocked into the ball or R, or to ward off a blocker; or
b. Obstruct R’s path to the ball.

This prohibition applies even when no fair-catch signal is given, but it does not apply after a free kick has been touched by a receiver, or after a scrimmage kick has been touched by a receiver who was clearly beyond the neutral zone at the time of touching.


So by rule, yes, K touching R beyond the neutral zone during a scrimmage kick does technically mean kick catch interference has occurred. Officials aren’t going to apply that rule unless it’s egregious or impacts the play.

Absolutely. That’s kind of an unspoken rule that we try to abide by. We could throw a flag for holding every single play too. We try to only throw them when it causes a run to bust open or a QB to escape

And that’s where you start to see differences between officiating crews. A lot of calls like that are based on judgement and being able to see it well enough to make that call. I would have warned the defender the first time and then thrown it the second time, but if you don’t catch it the first time then it’s tough to throw it the second.

I try to if I think it will keep a flag from being thrown later or again. Certain schools you have to do that or players will be swinging at each other by the 4th quarter! The well coached and disciplined team I rarely have to speak to a coach about a player

Would you have ever thrown a flag on Mark Richt for using the F word in a moment of passion?

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Lol I only throw flags for the n word.

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Then you gonna need Tommy Juan surgery...thats all I hear on a football field

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So a person would have to be true piece of shite to throw a flag on Mark Richt for dropping the F bomb.

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Penn Wagers has an ego problem

Rig, EVERY high school official I know (including yours truly) uses that technique. I don't do football, but I do other sports.

Always better to talk with the coach/captains to prevent the flag from being thrown.

With certain penalties you do. It’s hard to throw a sideline warning or 5 in the backfield in the 4th quarter when it matters while the tackle has been lining up a yard off the center’s hip the whole game.

A good general rule is if it doesn’t impact the play and it can be fixed quickly by talking to the player then give them a warning. If they do it again then hit ‘em early. We call it “preventative officiating”