Field Goal Rules

[Benny34]

If a field goal attempt travels directly over the upright, is it counted as a good kick? I have searched through the NCAA rulebook, and it doesn't seem to mention this. (I could very well be looking in the wrong place). Thanks in advance!

[intrepid27]

Except when you are playing Alabama in a Bowl Game. Then it is no good.

[theshadow]

No good.

[VeloClone]

If a field goal attempt travels directly over the upright, is it counted as a good kick? I have searched through the NCAA rulebook, and it doesn't seem to mention this. (I could very well be looking in the wrong place). Thanks in advance!

I believe by definition the ball must travel over the crossbar and between the uprights. The uprights are considered to have unlimited length for this purpose. If the ball travels directly over the upright it would not be between the uprights and therefore not good.

They should have given it to him anyway for kicking it clear over the uprights from that distance.

[RING4CY]

I believe by definition the ball must travel over the crossbar and between the uprights. The uprights are considered to have unlimited length for this purpose. If the ball travels directly over the upright it would not be between the uprights and therefore not good.

Exactly. If the uprights were extended to the height the ball crossed over the upright, it would then hit off of it, and then likely bounce off for a no good field goal.

[hwkwyld]

Except when you are playing Alabama in a Bowl Game. Then it is no good.

That was my first thought as well!

[jbhtexas]

Exactly. If the uprights were extended to the height the ball crossed over the upright, it would then hit off of it, and then likely bounce off for a no good field goal.

We cannot be sure of this, as footballs tend to bounce in strange ways. Therefore, a bar should be added across the top of the goal posts, thus making a rectangle. If the ball doesn't go through the rectangle, the FG/PAT is no good. This should make shorter kicks more interesting as well, and less of a "chip shot"...

[VeloClone]

We cannot be sure of this, as footballs tend to bounce in strange ways. Therefore, a bar should be added across the top of the goal posts, thus making a rectangle. If the ball doesn't go through the rectangle, the FG/PAT is no good. This should make shorter kicks more interesting as well, and less of a "chip shot"...

I don't like your idea. This would create a difficult proposition as short kicks would really be a balance between getting the ball under the upright and high enough so it doesn't get blocked. A team should get rewarded with an easier scoring opportunity when they are closer to the goal. With this drastic change a mid range kick (35 yarder?) might be easier than a short kick (25 yarder?).

If it is felt something should be done, I would rather see the uprights lengthened to reduce the chances of overkicking the uprights.

[cyclone93]

On a somewhat related side note, it appears to me that Kinnick Stadium has some of the shortest uprights in college football. Check it out sometime. Can't remember that it has ever made a difference in any games, but noticed it anyway.

[jbhtexas]

I don't like your idea. This would create a difficult proposition as short kicks would really be a balance between getting the ball under the upright and high enough so it doesn't get blocked.

Precisely. Short FG's and extra points (unless you happen to be ISU) have become too mundane and boring. Change is required.

A team should get rewarded with an easier scoring opportunity when they are closer to the goal. With this drastic change a mid range kick (35 yarder?) might be easier than a short kick (25 yarder?).

Should goal-line defenses be banned because they appear to make it harder to score when the offense is close to the goal than a regular defensive alignment would make it?

[vmbplayer]

More importantly, is the dropkick still on the books as a legal way to score, and if so when will be the next time someone uses this often forgot technique?

[VeloClone]

Precisely. Short FG's and extra points (unless you happen to be ISU) have become too mundane and boring. Change is required.



Should goal-line defenses be banned because they appear to make it harder to score when the offense is close to the goal than a regular defensive alignment would?

No, because it is still easier to get one yard for a TD from the one, than it is to get 10 yards from the 10 or 35 yards from the 35. That one yard is harder but the TD is easier.

Are you also asking for the basket in basketball to be made smaller and raised to 15 feet because baskets have become too mundane? When the game was invented and in the early days of play baskets were scored on very few possessions. Now they are scored on roughly half of all shots.

I disagree that change is required. But, I have disagreed with some of the proposed changes before and some of them have happened. I doubt this one will, though. You could watch arena football, though. Those FG's and extra points are pretty challenging.

[theshadow]

Precisely. Short FG's and extra points (unless you happen to be ISU) have become too mundane and boring. Change is required.

How about an additional point if you kick it from between the numbers and sideline?

[jbhtexas]

More importantly, is the dropkick still on the books as a legal way to score, and if so when will be the next time someone uses this often forgot technique?

Excellent point...change the rules to require PAT kick attempts to be of the drop-kick variety. That should liven that play up a little bit...

[VeloClone]

More importantly, is the dropkick still on the books as a legal way to score, and if so when will be the next time someone uses this often forgot technique?

Last I checked it was. We had a guy in our JV squad in high school whose grandpa taught him to drop kick. Our coach told him that if we ever got way ahead in a game that he would let him try it in a game but he never did. The kid never went on to play varsity.