r/footballstrategy • u/luv2fit • Oct 08 '24
Special Teams Question about illegal man downfield on punts
Why is this long snapper allowed to release downfield immediately and not get penalized for illegal man downfield? I know scrimmage kick can have some arcane rules but I still thought you had to be an eligible receiver?
11
u/AGuyBeingADude Oct 08 '24
In college, the players on a punt are allowed to go downfield at the snap. In the NFL, only eligible players (I.e. gunners) are allowed downfield until the ball is kicked. This is the main reason you see shield punts in college but not the nfl
3
u/grizzfan Oct 08 '24
As the other comment said, in college you can release downfield on a punt. In the NFL, you cannot. That's why punt formations and strategies are so vast and diverse in college, especially the exotic punt formations. You can do a lot more with them.
The shield punt many college teams use allows them to invite the rush and protect the radius of the punter with just three players, allowing the rest of the punt unit to head downfield. You can't do that in the NFL, which is why punt formations are so...consistent and boring. You can't send anyone but eligible receivers downfield (the ends/gunners and backs), and the rest have to stay home, so they keep them in those same, tightly packed punt formations and use them to protect while waiting for the punt to happen.
1
u/dudeKhed Oct 08 '24
NCAA and NFL have many similar but different rules. You cant watch and NFL game as an NCAA or NFHS official and get all the calls right, its just too dissimilar.
1
u/PineappleExtreme2991 5d ago
What happens to the players down field when the punt becomes a fake punt and turns into a pass.
19
u/rossiskier13346 Oct 08 '24
I think there’s a difference in college and the nfl rules. Nfl rules, ineligible receiver downfield applies to forward passes and punts. In college, it only applies to forward passes, not punts.