New "NO FAKE PUNT" rule

[Alanbama27]

Why in the world would the SEC change the fake punt rule as they did?

For those who don't know, the rule was changed so that a punter can't catch the ball, fake a punt and then pass or run it. A fake punt has to be a called play. In other words, the punter can receive the snap, but has to immediately run or pass the ball without the "fake punt" aspect. That is the most ridiculous rule I've ever heard and don't understand how it even came about. It truly makes no sense to me at all!

Can anyone shed some light ont his new stupid A$$ rule?

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The Bus to our future is driven by Coach Mike Shula...Get on board or be left behind!

--Me

 

[BamaTodd]

I haven't heard about this change, but I agree that it is stupid. If you are gonna do this, why not say that you can't fake a handoff and throw a pass on 1, 2, or 3rd down? It's the same thing. Or, what if it is a bad snap, the punter scoops it up and still looks to kick it but pulls it down to run as he sees the rush. He makes the first down. Would that be a legal play? I don't know how they are going to enforce this rule.



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Before anyone did anything, Elvis did everything.

Thank you, thank you very much.

 

[Alanbama27]

I read this on another forum and have to say that I haven't been able to find anything to verify the validity of the post. However, I don't understand why this would be instituted either. It would seem to be contrary to good solid football coaching and actually doesn't seem to fix anything that was wrong or even perceived as wrong. I hope the story is wrong.

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The Bus to our future is driven by Coach Mike Shula...Get on board or be left behind!

--Me

 

[red55]

Perhaps it is because the punter is protected, causing the defense to be cautious in their rush. If he intentionally fakes a punt, he is taking advantage of the roughing rule to slow down the rush when he intends to run or throw.

But I don't like the rule because sometimes a punter is forced out of his punt by a fast rush and has to tuck the ball and run for it. What's wrong with that?

 

[Alanbama27]

Sorry guys, I found the "REAL" story and it was misinterpreted by somebody. Here is the actual rule change.

"Another rule change will be a clearer definition of how defenders could make contact with “gunners" during a fake punt. The proposed rule deletes the possibility of pass interference against Team B when a potential Team A kicker simulates a scrimmage kick by throwing the ball high and deep. The intent is to keep the receiving teams on punts from being penalized for defensive pass interference when its players could not be expected to know that the ball was actually thrown. ..."

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The Bus to our future is driven by Coach Mike Shula...Get on board or be left behind!

--Me

 

[BamaTodd]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Alanbama27:
Sorry guys, I found the "REAL" story and it was misinterpreted by somebody. Here is the actual rule change.

"Another rule change will be a clearer definition of how defenders could make contact with “gunners" during a fake punt. The proposed rule deletes the possibility of pass interference against Team B when a potential Team A kicker simulates a scrimmage kick by throwing the ball high and deep. The intent is to keep the receiving teams on punts from being penalized for defensive pass interference when its players could not be expected to know that the ball was actually thrown. ..."

</font>

Now that makes sense. What they are saying is that the punter could throw the ball high in the air to make it look like a punt when it is actually a pass. The defender would see the ball in the air and think that it is a kicked ball and begin to block the gunner, or receiver in this case. If they did this on a pass play, it would be interference. So this rule says that you can't try to draw a pass interference call by throwing the ball and trying to make it look like a punt. Good rule.

t

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Before anyone did anything, Elvis did everything.

Thank you, thank you very much.

[This message has been edited by BamaTodd (edited 06-04-2004).]

 

[toddhsv]

I actually like the rule. In less confusing terms, you can't get a "cheap" first down just by faking a punt and throwing it to a receiver whose defender thinks the punt is still on and comes up and makes contact. It is not such a big deal in the scheme of things but a good change. I think what will take getting used to is hearing the "guilty" number called this year. The coaches are always asking "Who was it on?" anyway, but it will definitely be interesting to get used to hearing it called in the stadium.

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RTMF

 

[TommyMac]

Am I to understand that this is an SEC rule?

I wasn't aware conferences had the power to institute their own rules.

 

[Alanbama27]

Tommy:

Yes, this is one of the new rules that came out of the meetings this week.

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The Bus to our future is driven by Coach Mike Shula...Get on board or be left behind!

--Me

 

[talisitider]

Now what about this scenario: The defenders (punt return) begin to move away from the ball coming down unknowing that it is a pass in hopes of not touching it, well I guess that is the whole intention of the play anyway, to deceive the defenders in hopes they get away from it while one guy on offense runs under it, never have seen that play, guess it could work

 

[dayhiker]

"I wasn't aware conferences had the power to institute their own rules."


Sure they can. Do you remember when Shaquille O'Neal was at LSU and the SEC experimented with the 6 foul rule like the NBA? The timing on that wasn't too hot for the other 9 teams!

 

[TommyMac]

I think the NBA has different rules for Shaq too. Like maybe 5 fouls are the max the officials are allowed to call on him, unless the Lakers have the game wrapped up.

 

[dayhiker]

touche'

 

[SirCrimson]

Could this bring back the quick kick on 3rd down?

 

[mib3fan]

Exactly what are you people complaining about? Alright, it seems like it's now going to be harder to pull off a fake punt, but so what? In all my years of watching Alabama football, I can only remember three fake punts. One was against Vanderbilt, in 1997 I believe, in which the Vandy punter (running at the rate of about 10 yards per minute) ran untouched for a touchdown from about 75 yards out. The second was in the 2002 Arkansas game, where Lane Bearden tore his ACL. Finally, the third was last year against Oklahoma, which really knocked us out of that game.

If anything, I'm glad they're making it tougher. We're always on the losing end of fake punts, so anything that would discourage us or the opposing team from doing them is okay by me.

 

[deliveryman35]

I haven't heard this before reading it here, but if it is true, it looks like the SEC/NCAA is again legislating against imaginative and creative play-calling on the part of the offense. What are we going to outlaw next?

 

[SoonerInFla]

Which rule will be in affect during Bowl Games involving SEC teams vs. teams from outside the SEC?

 

[mib3fan]

I'm not exactly sure on how the rule will be enforced on interconference games. I suppose it will depend on where the game is played.

As for the bowl games, who knows?