SECTION 4 — KICK FROM SCRIMMAGE AND OPEN-FIELD KICK

Article 1 — Restriction On Offside Player (No Yards)#

When on a kick from scrimmage (ball crosses the line of scrimmage), or on an open-field kick, a player who is offside in relation to the kicker:

1. if the player first touches, or is touched by, the ball:

   PENALTY - in field of play - L15 from PBT (point ball touched)

   - in goal area - L15, penalty applied at 10-yard line

2. if the player does not allow five (5) yards to an opponent attempting to gain possession of the kicked ball. The 5-yard zone is determined by a circle with a 5-yard radius; with the centre point being the ball at the instant it is first touched.

   PENALTY - in field of play - L15 from PBT

   - in goal area - L15, penalty applied at 10-yard line

3. if the player does not allow five (5) yards and the ball struck the ground before being touched by the receiving team:

   PENALTY - in field of play - L5 from PBT

   - in goal area - L5, penalty applied at 10-yard line

4. if a kicking team player is making no attempt to withdraw from the 5-yard zone, and is hovering over the ball or the receiving team player about to take possession of the ball, a 15-yard penalty will apply regardless whether the ball bounced.

5. if a kicking team player interferes with a receiving team player attempting to gain possession of the kicked ball, with or without contact:

   PENALTY - L15 from normal point of application

6. if a kicking team player invades the 5-yard zone, and contacts in an unnecessarily rough manner a receiving team player who is attempting to play the ball, the kicking team player will be subject to an additional 15 or 25-yard penalty, regardless of whether the ball had struck the ground.

Article 2 — Onside Player#

1. The kicker or an onside player may enter the restraining zone and legally recover the kicked ball, but shall not interfere with an opponent attempting to recover the ball.

   PENALTY: Ball awarded to receiving team at point of foul or at its 25-yard line, if the foul occurred in the receiving team's Goal Area.

2. If the kicked ball has not yet been touched and a player of the receiving team fakes an attempt to recover the ball, that player may be tackled without penalty. If an offside player touches the ball, there shall be no penalty and the ball shall be awarded to the receiving team.

3. If the kicked ball has not yet been touched and, in the judgment of the official, no effort is being made by either team to recover the ball, the ball may be declared dead and possession awarded to the receiving team.

Article 3 — Kick From Scrimmage Going Out-of-Bounds In Flight#

On a kick from scrimmage going out of bounds in flight from 20 yard line to 20 yard line, the receiving team will have the option of taking possession at the point the ball went out of bounds in flight, or having a 10 yard penalty applied against the kicking team at the point of last scrimmage, with the down repeated.

Article 4 — Kicked Ball Striking Goal Post Assembly#

1. If the ball, after being kicked, should strike the opposing team's goal post assembly in flight, the ball shall be declared dead immediately and awarded to the receiving team as first down at its 25-yard line.
2. A kicked ball striking the goal post assembly after having touched an official, the ground or a player, shall remain in play.
3. A kicked ball striking the kicking team's goal post assembly shall remain in play.
4. If the kicked ball on a field goal or convert attempt should strike the goal post assembly in flight, and then proceed through the uprights above the crossbar, the score shall count.

Article 5 — Interference On Kick From Scrimmage#

1. A player of the receiving team may interfere with any player of the kicking team who has crossed the line of scrimmage, provided that contact is made only above the waist. Such interference shall be permitted from the instant the ball is snapped.

   PENALTY: L10 PBH or PPG

2. The kicker or an onside player may not be contacted until reaching the line of scrimmage or until the receiving team has touched the ball.

   PENALTY: L10 PLS

Article 6 — Interference On Open-Field Kick#

A player of the team receiving an open-field kick may commence interfering with an opponent at the instant the ball is kicked, provided that such contact is made only above the waist of the opponent.

PENALTY: L10 PBH or PPG

Article 7 — Interference By Kicking Team#

On a play from scrimmage in which the ball is kicked across the line of scrimmage, a player of the kicking team may interfere with an opponent up to one yard in advance of the line of scrimmage. After the ball is kicked, the player may use hands and arms to ward off a blocker interfering with the approach to the ball carrier.

PENALTY: L10 PLS

Article 8 — Recovery Of Own Kick#

The kicker or an onside player may recover the kick across the line of scrimmage, in which case the ensuing down shall be first down whether or not the original yardage has been gained.

Following such recovery by the kicker or an onside player, a player of the kicking team may interfere with an opponent provided that contact is made only above the waist of the opponent.

PENALTY: L10 PBH

Article 9 — Kick That Fails To Cross Line Of Scrimmage#

When a ball kicked from scrimmage fails to cross the line of scrimmage and is recovered by an onside player of the kicking team, the series of downs shall not be interrupted unless after recovery, the yardage required for a first down is gained.

If touched by offside player:

PENALTY: Ball awarded to opponent at point ball touched, or option.

If touched by offside player in own Goal Area:

PENALTY: Ball awarded to opponent at 10-yard line, or option.

• SECTION 3 — BLOCKED KICK
• RULE 6 — PASSING