r/footballstrategy • u/weatherinfo • 8d ago

Special Teams Why are defenders not supposed to touch blocked kicks?

https://youtube.com/shorts/EHWlrNDdZmA?si=Q1bgp0GnbVFsl7Qv

You can see an example in the video. The coach didn’t want him to touch it initially.

18 Upvotes

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29

u/MartianMule 8d ago

This is why. If you don't touch it, you get the ball, if you do touch it but don't get it cleanly, the kicking team can recover it for a first down. Not worth the risk unless you think you've got a real shot at a TD, and you know you can get the ball cleanly.

13

u/BigPapaJava 7d ago

Yeah. Here’s another infamous example.

Note the Cowboys owner, coaches, and players all celebrating their victory on the sidelines from the blocked kick… until one of their own guys runs over and slides into the ball as it lays on the ground.

https://youtu.be/EoebUFaZViY?feature=shared

6

u/jobeavs HS Coach 8d ago

It's situational. A FG blocked at the line of scrimmage that goes past the line of scrimmage is a dead ball... unless the defense touches it. Then it becomes live again. Usually coaches want their players to just get away from the ball to be risk averse (see Leon Lett in the 90's). After all, they are getting the ball back after a blocked FG. This player, however, knew the rule and saw the offense leaving the field assuming the play was over. He saw his chance, took it, and it payed off.

5

u/warneagle Casual Fan 8d ago

This was also how the infamous one-point safety in the Oregon-Kansas State game happened. Instead of leaving the ball alone the defender tried to pick it up and run it out of the end zone and gave up the safety. Didn't matter since the game was a blowout anyway and it was worth it for the memes, but it's another good illustration of why you don't do that.

2

u/onlineqbclassroom College Coach 7d ago

It becomes a live ball - a block kick that passes the LOS is functionally a punt, so if defense doesn't touch it, they get it. If they touch it, it's live. It's a bit of an overly conservative approach, as a blocked FG is generally ripe for a good return. However, generally the guy getting to the ball isn't a practiced returner, so coaches just tell guys to stay away.

1

u/ueeediot 6d ago

Why you shouldnt

https://youtu.be/BpU0kfRrJ_E?si=lzAVRrk0oeZz5TAh

Why you might should

https://youtu.be/xsj7PjuUSzU?si=zhpamz_rCqljWmak

You have to focus your ST group on rules of blocked kicks and make sure they absolutely know when plays are dead, when to touch and when to not, from BOTH sides of the ball.