Post by Coach Campbell on Mar 15, 2009 17:35:32 GMT
Field goal (football)
A field goal (formerly "goal from the field"[citation needed]) in U.S. football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play ("from the field").
Execution of a field goal.A field goal may be scored by a placekick or the now very rare drop kick. The ball must pass "through the uprights", that is, over a crossbar that is 10 feet off the ground and between upright posts that are 18 feet 6 inches (5.6 m) apart, to count, and the kick must not be a kickoff or a free kick following a safety. A field goal can still be good even if the ball hits an upright or the crossbar. The rules of the particular sanctioning authority may impose additional requirements. A successful field goal scores three points.
Strategy
Because a field goal is worth only three points, while a touchdown scores at least six (usually seven with the extra point), teams will generally only attempt a field goal in the following situations:
It is fourth down (third down in Canadian rules), especially if the offense is more than a yard or two from a new first down and generally within the opponent's 35-yard line.
There are only a few seconds left in the first half.
There are only a few seconds left in the second half, and the team on offense needs three points to win or tie (four points in a few leagues given special circumstances).
The game is in overtime, and scoring any points will end the game.
Except in desperate situations, a team will generally attempt a field goal only when keeping a drive alive is unlikely, and their kicker has a significant chance of success, as a missed field goal results in a turnover at the spot of the kick (in the NFL; in the NCAA it is at the spot of the snap). Even under ideal conditions, the best kickers in the NFL have difficulty making kicks longer than 50 yards consistently (the NFL record is 63 yards and the CFL record, 62 yards). If a team chooses not to attempt a field goal on fourth down (third in Canada), it can punt to the other team. A punt cannot score any points in American football (though it can result in a single in Canadian football), but it may push the other team back toward its own end.
High school, college and most professional football leagues only offer a three-point field goal; however, some professional leagues have encouraged more rare kicks through four-point field goals. NFL Europe encouraged long field goals of 50 yards or more by making those worth four points instead of three (much like Australian rules' Super Goal or basketball's three-point line). Similarly, the sport of arena football sought (unsuccessfully) to repopularize the drop kick by making that worth four points; it failed, since only one kicker (Brian Mitchell) able to do it with any semblance of proficiency. (In six-man football, where there is no offensive line, all field goals are worth four points instead of the usual three.)
How field goals are kicked
Texas A&M attempts to kick a field goal against The Citadel in 2006.When a team decides to attempt a field goal, it will generally line up in a very tight formation, with all but two players lined up on or near the line of scrimmage: the placekicker and the holder. The holder is usually the team's punter or backup quarterback. Instead of the regular center, a team may have a dedicated long snapper trained especially to snap the ball on placekick attempts and punts.
The defense will likewise line up all or nearly all of its players near the line of scrimmage to try to block the kick. The defense can try to block the kick only at the line; it cannot attempt to bat down a field-goal attempt at the uprights like a goalie. If there is a significant likelihood of a miss and the strategic game situation warrants it, the defense may leave one player well behind the line of scrimmage to attempt to return a missed field goal; as with other kicks, a missed field goal can be returned for a yardage gain up to and including a touchdown. The risk in this is that if there is a return attempt, then unless there is a score the defense will take over at the spot where the returner is brought down, which may be a considerably worse position than where they would have taken over had they not attempted a return. Thus, teams will usually attempt a return only towards the end of a half or in a particularly desperate situation. The holder usually lines up 7–8 yards behind the line of scrimmage, with the kicker a few yards behind him. Upon receiving the snap, the holder holds the ball against the ground vertically, with the stitches away from the kicker. The kicker begins his approach during the snap, so the snapper and holder have little margin for error. A split-second mistake can throw everything off.
The measurement of a field goal's distance is from the point where the ball was positioned for the kick by the placekicker to the goalpost. In American football, where the goalpost is in the back of the end zone, the ten yards of the end zone are also added into the distance of the kick.
Missed and blocked field goals
The San Francisco 49ers block a field goal attempt by Philadelphia Eagles kicker David Akers on October 12, 2008, which was returned for a touchdown.
The Fresno State Bulldogs block a Texas A&M field goal attempt.In the NFL, missed field goals attempted from the 20-yard line or closer result in the opposing team taking possession at the 20-yard line. Missed field goals attempted from beyond the 20-yard line result in the opposing team taking possession at the spot of the kick. Until 1994, the opposing team would take position at the line of scrimmage, unless the kick was attempted from inside the 20-yard line.
Prior to the 1974 season, missed field goals resulted in the opposing team gaining possession at the line of scrimmage or the 20-yard line, whichever was closer to the goalpost.
Under NHFS (high school) rules a field goal attempt is no different from any other scrimmage kick (punt, drop kick). If the field goal attempt is no good and becomes dead in the end zone it is a touchback. If the ball becomes dead on the field the defensive team will next put the ball in play from that point.
The opposing team may also catch a missed field goal and attempt to return it. This is only rarely performed in American football, as on average the opposing team would not be able to return the ball to the spot of the kick. However, it is occasionally done, particularly when a very long kick is attempted at the end of the first half. On November 4, 2007, Antonio Cromartie of the San Diego Chargers returned a missed field-goal from Ryan Longwell (Minnesota Vikings) for 109 yards and a touchdown, the longest play in NFL history, and the longest play possible under current NFL scoring rules (yards gained are normally rounded down and 110 yards would be out-of-bounds). (Four of the six longest plays in NFL history are returns of missed field goals for touchdowns.) One reason for returning missed field goals is the kicking team typically consists of mostly linemen, unlike on punts where a dedicated cover team is used. Thus a well timed return can easily lead to a touchdown for the returner.
In the NCAA, the opposing team takes possession at the line of scrimmage rather than at the spot of the kick.
In American football, a missed field goal is said to be "no good". If it misses to the kicker's left it may be called "wide left" and conversely "wide right" if it misses to the kicker's right. It may also be described as being "short" if it is aimed correctly but does not have the distance to go through the uprights.
In Canadian football, if the defense does not return a missed field goal out the end zone, or if the missed field goal goes through the end zone, then the kicking team scores a single point. This may occasionally lead to situations at the end of a close game where the team on defense stations their punter behind the goal posts to punt the ball out of the end zone in case of a missed field-goal attempt to preserve a victory or tie. Also, a missed field goal may be played by any onside player on the kicking team, that being the kicker and anyone behind him at the time of the kick. It is risky to have anyone positioned behind the kicker when the ball is being kicked since those player(s) would be unable to help prevent the defending players from blocking the kick; however, on occasion teams might intentionally miss a field goal in hope of recovering the ball in the end zone for a touchdown.
In Canadian football, returning a missed field goal is somewhat more common than in American rules for two reasons. First, returning the ball out of the end zone allows the defense to avoid giving up a single point, and second, the wider field of the Canadian game makes the average return longer. However, many CFL coaches judge that conceding a single and taking possession at the point of last scrimmage (or 35-yard line, whichever is further from the goal line) to be a better gamble than returning a missed field goal and avoiding a single.
Occasionally (about once in 40 field goal attempts in the NFL[citation needed]), the defense will succeed in blocking a field goal. If a blocked field goal is in or behind the neutral zone, it is treated like a fumble and can be advanced by either team. Beyond the neutral zone, a blocked kick is treated like a punt or missed field goal and can be advanced only by the defense, unless a defensive player fumbles the ball, after which an offensive player can advance it.
Kicking styles
There are several styles kickers have used for kicking field goals over the years. The soccer style is the most widely used kicking style in football today.
Soccer style
"Soccer style" gets its name from the game of soccer and the manner in which soccer players kick a ball. A soccer style field goal kicker approaches the ball from an angle and kicks the ball with the instep of his foot. Typically a kicker will take three steps straight back and two side steps to the left (if right footed). This will put them in the proper position for approaching the ball. Some kickers, such as Adam Vinatieri, start farther to the side and facing away from the line, then proceed to "swing" their body around, almost in a semicircle motion, kicking the ball in with the same final motion.
Soccer style is the most widely used (almost universally) in American and Canadian football today. In field goal and extra point attempts, the ball is snapped to a holder lined up about seven yards from the line of scrimmage.
The distance of the holder behind the line of scrimmage is not mandated by any rule, but rather has developed by trial and error over time as the optimal distance to allow the center, holder and kicker to combine to get the kick off, and force defenders to run a greater distance in attempts to block the kick.
When the holder sets up closer than seven yards to the line of scrimmage (thus making the kick itself shorter and thus easier to make), blocked kicks increase since defenders have a shorter distance to cover and the kick can often be blocked before it achieves sufficient height. When holders set up farther than seven yards behind the line, blocks become less frequent, but the kick itself becomes longer and thus accuracy declines. The accuracy of the snap to the holder also declines, sometimes leading to blocked kicks if the holder cannot handle it cleanly.
Popularized by Pete Gogolak, soccer-style kicking has greatly improved placekickers' accuracy. Hall of Fame kicker Lou "The Toe" Groza made only 58% of his field-goal attempts; today's best kickers make nearly 80% of their attempts.
Straight-ahead style
In the "straight-ahead" or "straight-on" style, the kicker takes several steps back and kicks the ball with the toe of his shoe. This style was widely used until the soccer style took over beginning in the early 1960s.
Unlike the soccer-style, the straight-ahead style requires the use of a special shoe that has a flattened toe and is reinforced to be extremely rigid. Additionally, some kickers wore a kicking shoe that was one or even two sizes smaller than normal. Hall of Famer George Blanda, a straight-ahead kicker who also played quarterback, wore a modified shoe that allowed him to play both positions without changing shoes. However, many modern kickers (the "soccer-style" term has all but disappeared) use a shoe that features a smooth contact surface.
Mark Moseley was the last full-time straight-ahead place kicker in the NFL, retiring after the 1986 season. Moseley was also among the best kickers of any style, having been the only NFL kicker to ever be named league MVP. Steve Cox kicked the last straight-ahead field goal in the NFL in 1987. Cox was a punter who also kicked off and occasionally kicked long field goals.
Edmonton Eskimos place kicker Dave Cutler was among the last straight-ahead kickers in the CFL. Despite the widespread adoption of the instep kick since his retirement in 1984, Cutler remains one of the most successful kickers in league history.
Drop kick
A drop kick is made when the kicker drops the ball and then kicks it when it bounces off the ground. This kick was popular in the early 1900s. However, the modern American football is more pointed on both ends, making the bounce less reliable. The main advantages of the drop kick are that 1) the kicking team gains an additional blocker and 2) there is one less person (the holder) who has to do their job perfectly to succeed. Because the advantage of an extra blocker is minimal and professional teams practice their special teams so frequently (meaning the holds are usually good), drop kicks are rarely seen because only straight-on kickers can do it for the most part.
The last successful drop kick in the NFL was made on January 1, 2006, by New England Patriots quarterback Doug Flutie for an extra point. It was the first time in 64 years that a drop kick was converted for an extra point in the NFL.
The last successful drop-kick extra point in the NCAA was by Aaron Fitzgerald of the University of LaVerne on November 10, 1990, against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. [1]
History
In the early days of football, kicking was highly emphasized.
In 1883 the scoring system was devised and field goals counted 5 points while touchdowns and conversions counted 3 each.
In 1897 the touchdown was raised to 5 points while the conversion was lowered to 1 point.
The field goal was changed to 4 points in 1904 and then to the modern 3 points in 1909.
The touchdown was changed to 6 points in 1912 (in American football; the Canadian game did not change this until 1956).
In 1924 the conversion was spotted at the 3-yard line.
In 1925–1928 it was moved to the 5-yard line.
In 1929 it was moved to the 2-yard line.
Finally, in 1968 it was moved back to the 3-yard line.
The goalposts were originally located on the goal line; this led to many injuries and sometimes interfered with play, and the NCAA moved the goal posts to the rear of the end zone in 1927. The NFL (still following NCAA rules at the time) followed suit, but moved the posts back to the goal line in 1932, where they remained until 1974. The Canadian game still has posts on the goal line.
In 1959 the NCAA goalposts were widened to 23 feet 4 inches, the standard width for high school posts today.
In 1988 the NCAA banned the kicking tee, requiring kicks from the ground.
In 1991 the college goalposts were reduced in width to 18 feet 6 inches, the width of NFL goal posts. In 1991 and 1992, this meant severe angles for short field goal attempts, since the hashmarks were still located 53 feet 4 inches apart. In 1993, the NCAA narrowed the distance between the hashmarks to 40 feet (which was the width of hashmarks in the NFL until 1972, when they were narrowed to 18 feet 6 inches).
Like the collegiate goalposts, the NFL goal posts were located on the goal line. They were moved to the rear of the end zone in 1974, as a result of the narrowed hashmark distance of 1972, which had made for easier field-goal angles.
In 1967, the NFL adopted the "slingshot" goalpost, with a single post curving to support the crossbar. The NCAA later adopted the same rule, but later allowed the use of "offset" goalposts, with two posts rather than one. Three schools in Division I-A currently use two posts instead of one for goalposts in their stadiums: Florida State, LSU, and Washington State. A special exemption was allowed by the NFL for the New Orleans Saints to use the offset goalposts during their 2005 season, when they used LSU's stadium for home games in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Field-goal records
Longest field goals
[edit] National Football League
63 yards: Tom Dempsey, New Orleans Saints (W 19-17) v Detroit Lions, November 8, 1970
63 yards: Jason Elam, Denver Broncos v (W 37-24) Jacksonville Jaguars, October 25, 1998
Canadian Football League
62 yards: Paul McCallum, Saskatchewan Roughriders (W 12–3) v Edmonton Eskimos, October 27, 2001
60 yards: Dave Ridgway, Saskatchewan Roughriders (L 25-29) v Winnipeg Blue Bombers, September 6, 1987
Arena Football League
63 yards: Aaron Mills, San Jose SaberCats (W 26–6) v Florida Bobcats, May 18, 1996
62 yards: Brent Williams, Dallas Desperados v Austin Wranglers May 22, 2000
Collegiate
69 yards: Ove Johansson, Abilene Christian (W 17–0) v East Texas State, October 16, 1976 (2-inch tee) Shotwell Stadium, Abilene. NAIA.
67 yards: Russell Erxleben, Texas (W 72–15) v Rice, October 1, 1977 (2-inch tee)
67 yards: Steve Little, Arkansas (L 9–13) v Texas, October 15, 1977 (2-inch tee)
67 yards: Joe Williams, Wichita State (W 33–7) v Southern Illinois, October 21, 1978 (2-inch tee)
67 yards: Tom Odle, Fort Hays State (W 22–14) v Washburn, November 5, 1988 (2-inch tee), NCAA Division II.
67 yards: Mike Billengas, Tecnologico de Monterrey Campus Mexico City ([Mexico City, Mexico]) (L 22–14) v UVM (MEX), July 27, 2006[citation needed]
65 yards: John Triplett Haxall, Princeton (L 1g,1s-2g,2t,1s) v Yale, November 30, 1882 (w/out tee) The Polo Grounds, 5th Avenue at 110th Street, New York City. [2]
65 yards: J.P. Ross, Birmingham A.C. (W 5–4) v Alabama, November 12, 1892 (drop-kick)
65 yards: Tony Franklin, Texas A&M (W 24–0) v Baylor, October 16, 1976 (2-inch tee) (after Johansson's 69–yarder)
65 yards: Martin Gramatica, Kansas State (W 73–7) v Northern Illinois September 12, 1998 (longest in NCAA history without a tee)
64 yards: Jose Martinez, UTEP (W 58–13) v UCF, September 27, 2008
64 yards: Tony Franklin, Texas A&M (W 24–0) v Baylor, October 16, 1976 (2-inch tee) (before Johansson's 69–yarder)
64 yards: Russell Erxleben, Texas (W 13–6) v Oklahoma (2-inch tee) October 8, 1977
63 yards: Morten Andersen, Michigan State, at Ohio State, September 19, 1981
63 yards: Joe Duren, Arkansas State (W 22–20) v McNeese State, November 23, 1974 (2-inch tee) NCAA Division II
63 yards: Scott Roper, Arkansas State (W 27–20) v North Texas State, November 7, 1987 (2-inch tee) NCAA Division 1-AA [1]
63 yards: Bill Gramática, South Florida v. Austin Peay, November 18, 2000 (longest field goal at sea level w/o tee in NCAA history)
62 yards: Jason Hanson, Washington State University vs. University of Nevada at Las Vegas, September 28, 1991 (w/o tee)
62 yards: Derek Doerfler, Baker University vs. William Jewell College, 2007
61 yards: Mark Porter, Kansas State Wildcats vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers, October 22, 1988
61 yards: Ralf Mojsiejenko, Michigan State, at Illinois, September 11, 1982
61 yards: Bill Shear, Cortland State (NY) vs. Hobart, 1966. 1st 60+ yard field goal at any level of organized football
61 yards: Steve Little, Arkansas (L 9–3) v Tulsa, September 25, 1976 (2-inch tee)
60 yards: Bill McClard, Arkansas (W 36–3) v SMU, November 14, 1970 (2-inch tee)
60 yards: Russell Erxleben, Texas (W 26–0) v Texas Tech October 29, 1977
60 yards: Kevin Butler, Georgia (W 26–23) v. Clemson 1984
60 yards: John Hall, Wisconsin (W 34-27) v. Minnesota November 11, 1995
60 yards: Pete Garces, Idaho State v Cal State Northridge, 1998
60 yards: Mason Crosby, Colorado v Iowa State, 2004
60 yards: Gary Cismesia, Florida State University (L 12–45) vs. University of Florida, 2007
59 yards: Jan Stenerud, Montana State v Montana, 1965
59 yards: Joe Petrone, Idaho State (W 53–32)v Portland state, 1968
59 yards: Ralf Mojsiejenko, Michigan State, at Purdue, October 1, 1983
59 yards: Cloyce Hinton, Ole Miss v Georgia, October 11, 1969
59 yards: Jared Siegel, Oregon v UCLA , 2002
58 yards: Jon Bacon, University of Cincinnati (T 17–17) @ Miami, Ohio 1994
58 yards: Mason Crosby, Colorado (L 23–3) @ Miami, 2005
57 yards: Morten Andersen, Michigan State, at Michigan, October 1, 1980
57 yards: Gene Branum, Austin College (T 24–24) v Concordia College, December 12, 81 (NAIA Division II National Championship Game)
57 yards: Ryan Harrison, Air Force (W 20–17) v Texas Christian, September 13, 2007
57 yards: Derek Doerfler, Baker University vs. Culver-Stockton College, 2007
57 yards: Alex Henery #90, Nebraska Cornhuskers (W 40-31) vs. Colorado Buffaloes November 28, 2008
Tony Franklin is the only kicker with 2 field goals over 60 yards in the same game. Russell Erxleben kicked 3 field goals over 60 yards in 1977, an NCAA record.
Scott Lewis attempted the longest field goal in college football history, 72 yards, Arizona State vs USC, October 4, 1980.
Kevin Butler attempted a 72 yard field goal, Georgia vs. Florida State, 1984 Citrus Bowl.
High school
68 yards: Dirk Borgognone, Reno High School (NV) v Sparks (NV), 9/27/1985[2]
68 yards: Joshua B Poulsen, Wesley Chapel High School (FL) v Dade City HS (FL), 2000 [2][citation needed]
67 yards: Rusty Curry, Duluth High School (Duluth, GA) (W 13—6) v Norcross High School (Norcross, GA), 1999[3]
67 yards: Russell Cowsert, Dallas Christian HS (TX) (W 67–0) v Fort Worth Nolan HS (TX), 1987[citation needed]
67 yards: Ed Nee Prospect High School (IL) v Hersey HS (IL) 1985
67 yards: Tim DeArmond, Eudora High School (Kansas) (w 31–0) v Baldwin HS (KS), October 3, 2007
67 yards: Matthew Gerk, Fort Morgan HS(CO) (W 54–6) v Brush HS(CO), 2006[citation needed]
67 yards:Andrew Bailey, Alamo Heights High School (Texas) (W 24–17) v Fredericksburg HS(TX), October 12, 2007
A field goal (formerly "goal from the field"[citation needed]) in U.S. football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play ("from the field").
Execution of a field goal.A field goal may be scored by a placekick or the now very rare drop kick. The ball must pass "through the uprights", that is, over a crossbar that is 10 feet off the ground and between upright posts that are 18 feet 6 inches (5.6 m) apart, to count, and the kick must not be a kickoff or a free kick following a safety. A field goal can still be good even if the ball hits an upright or the crossbar. The rules of the particular sanctioning authority may impose additional requirements. A successful field goal scores three points.
Strategy
Because a field goal is worth only three points, while a touchdown scores at least six (usually seven with the extra point), teams will generally only attempt a field goal in the following situations:
It is fourth down (third down in Canadian rules), especially if the offense is more than a yard or two from a new first down and generally within the opponent's 35-yard line.
There are only a few seconds left in the first half.
There are only a few seconds left in the second half, and the team on offense needs three points to win or tie (four points in a few leagues given special circumstances).
The game is in overtime, and scoring any points will end the game.
Except in desperate situations, a team will generally attempt a field goal only when keeping a drive alive is unlikely, and their kicker has a significant chance of success, as a missed field goal results in a turnover at the spot of the kick (in the NFL; in the NCAA it is at the spot of the snap). Even under ideal conditions, the best kickers in the NFL have difficulty making kicks longer than 50 yards consistently (the NFL record is 63 yards and the CFL record, 62 yards). If a team chooses not to attempt a field goal on fourth down (third in Canada), it can punt to the other team. A punt cannot score any points in American football (though it can result in a single in Canadian football), but it may push the other team back toward its own end.
High school, college and most professional football leagues only offer a three-point field goal; however, some professional leagues have encouraged more rare kicks through four-point field goals. NFL Europe encouraged long field goals of 50 yards or more by making those worth four points instead of three (much like Australian rules' Super Goal or basketball's three-point line). Similarly, the sport of arena football sought (unsuccessfully) to repopularize the drop kick by making that worth four points; it failed, since only one kicker (Brian Mitchell) able to do it with any semblance of proficiency. (In six-man football, where there is no offensive line, all field goals are worth four points instead of the usual three.)
How field goals are kicked
Texas A&M attempts to kick a field goal against The Citadel in 2006.When a team decides to attempt a field goal, it will generally line up in a very tight formation, with all but two players lined up on or near the line of scrimmage: the placekicker and the holder. The holder is usually the team's punter or backup quarterback. Instead of the regular center, a team may have a dedicated long snapper trained especially to snap the ball on placekick attempts and punts.
The defense will likewise line up all or nearly all of its players near the line of scrimmage to try to block the kick. The defense can try to block the kick only at the line; it cannot attempt to bat down a field-goal attempt at the uprights like a goalie. If there is a significant likelihood of a miss and the strategic game situation warrants it, the defense may leave one player well behind the line of scrimmage to attempt to return a missed field goal; as with other kicks, a missed field goal can be returned for a yardage gain up to and including a touchdown. The risk in this is that if there is a return attempt, then unless there is a score the defense will take over at the spot where the returner is brought down, which may be a considerably worse position than where they would have taken over had they not attempted a return. Thus, teams will usually attempt a return only towards the end of a half or in a particularly desperate situation. The holder usually lines up 7–8 yards behind the line of scrimmage, with the kicker a few yards behind him. Upon receiving the snap, the holder holds the ball against the ground vertically, with the stitches away from the kicker. The kicker begins his approach during the snap, so the snapper and holder have little margin for error. A split-second mistake can throw everything off.
The measurement of a field goal's distance is from the point where the ball was positioned for the kick by the placekicker to the goalpost. In American football, where the goalpost is in the back of the end zone, the ten yards of the end zone are also added into the distance of the kick.
Missed and blocked field goals
The San Francisco 49ers block a field goal attempt by Philadelphia Eagles kicker David Akers on October 12, 2008, which was returned for a touchdown.
The Fresno State Bulldogs block a Texas A&M field goal attempt.In the NFL, missed field goals attempted from the 20-yard line or closer result in the opposing team taking possession at the 20-yard line. Missed field goals attempted from beyond the 20-yard line result in the opposing team taking possession at the spot of the kick. Until 1994, the opposing team would take position at the line of scrimmage, unless the kick was attempted from inside the 20-yard line.
Prior to the 1974 season, missed field goals resulted in the opposing team gaining possession at the line of scrimmage or the 20-yard line, whichever was closer to the goalpost.
Under NHFS (high school) rules a field goal attempt is no different from any other scrimmage kick (punt, drop kick). If the field goal attempt is no good and becomes dead in the end zone it is a touchback. If the ball becomes dead on the field the defensive team will next put the ball in play from that point.
The opposing team may also catch a missed field goal and attempt to return it. This is only rarely performed in American football, as on average the opposing team would not be able to return the ball to the spot of the kick. However, it is occasionally done, particularly when a very long kick is attempted at the end of the first half. On November 4, 2007, Antonio Cromartie of the San Diego Chargers returned a missed field-goal from Ryan Longwell (Minnesota Vikings) for 109 yards and a touchdown, the longest play in NFL history, and the longest play possible under current NFL scoring rules (yards gained are normally rounded down and 110 yards would be out-of-bounds). (Four of the six longest plays in NFL history are returns of missed field goals for touchdowns.) One reason for returning missed field goals is the kicking team typically consists of mostly linemen, unlike on punts where a dedicated cover team is used. Thus a well timed return can easily lead to a touchdown for the returner.
In the NCAA, the opposing team takes possession at the line of scrimmage rather than at the spot of the kick.
In American football, a missed field goal is said to be "no good". If it misses to the kicker's left it may be called "wide left" and conversely "wide right" if it misses to the kicker's right. It may also be described as being "short" if it is aimed correctly but does not have the distance to go through the uprights.
In Canadian football, if the defense does not return a missed field goal out the end zone, or if the missed field goal goes through the end zone, then the kicking team scores a single point. This may occasionally lead to situations at the end of a close game where the team on defense stations their punter behind the goal posts to punt the ball out of the end zone in case of a missed field-goal attempt to preserve a victory or tie. Also, a missed field goal may be played by any onside player on the kicking team, that being the kicker and anyone behind him at the time of the kick. It is risky to have anyone positioned behind the kicker when the ball is being kicked since those player(s) would be unable to help prevent the defending players from blocking the kick; however, on occasion teams might intentionally miss a field goal in hope of recovering the ball in the end zone for a touchdown.
In Canadian football, returning a missed field goal is somewhat more common than in American rules for two reasons. First, returning the ball out of the end zone allows the defense to avoid giving up a single point, and second, the wider field of the Canadian game makes the average return longer. However, many CFL coaches judge that conceding a single and taking possession at the point of last scrimmage (or 35-yard line, whichever is further from the goal line) to be a better gamble than returning a missed field goal and avoiding a single.
Occasionally (about once in 40 field goal attempts in the NFL[citation needed]), the defense will succeed in blocking a field goal. If a blocked field goal is in or behind the neutral zone, it is treated like a fumble and can be advanced by either team. Beyond the neutral zone, a blocked kick is treated like a punt or missed field goal and can be advanced only by the defense, unless a defensive player fumbles the ball, after which an offensive player can advance it.
Kicking styles
There are several styles kickers have used for kicking field goals over the years. The soccer style is the most widely used kicking style in football today.
Soccer style
"Soccer style" gets its name from the game of soccer and the manner in which soccer players kick a ball. A soccer style field goal kicker approaches the ball from an angle and kicks the ball with the instep of his foot. Typically a kicker will take three steps straight back and two side steps to the left (if right footed). This will put them in the proper position for approaching the ball. Some kickers, such as Adam Vinatieri, start farther to the side and facing away from the line, then proceed to "swing" their body around, almost in a semicircle motion, kicking the ball in with the same final motion.
Soccer style is the most widely used (almost universally) in American and Canadian football today. In field goal and extra point attempts, the ball is snapped to a holder lined up about seven yards from the line of scrimmage.
The distance of the holder behind the line of scrimmage is not mandated by any rule, but rather has developed by trial and error over time as the optimal distance to allow the center, holder and kicker to combine to get the kick off, and force defenders to run a greater distance in attempts to block the kick.
When the holder sets up closer than seven yards to the line of scrimmage (thus making the kick itself shorter and thus easier to make), blocked kicks increase since defenders have a shorter distance to cover and the kick can often be blocked before it achieves sufficient height. When holders set up farther than seven yards behind the line, blocks become less frequent, but the kick itself becomes longer and thus accuracy declines. The accuracy of the snap to the holder also declines, sometimes leading to blocked kicks if the holder cannot handle it cleanly.
Popularized by Pete Gogolak, soccer-style kicking has greatly improved placekickers' accuracy. Hall of Fame kicker Lou "The Toe" Groza made only 58% of his field-goal attempts; today's best kickers make nearly 80% of their attempts.
Straight-ahead style
In the "straight-ahead" or "straight-on" style, the kicker takes several steps back and kicks the ball with the toe of his shoe. This style was widely used until the soccer style took over beginning in the early 1960s.
Unlike the soccer-style, the straight-ahead style requires the use of a special shoe that has a flattened toe and is reinforced to be extremely rigid. Additionally, some kickers wore a kicking shoe that was one or even two sizes smaller than normal. Hall of Famer George Blanda, a straight-ahead kicker who also played quarterback, wore a modified shoe that allowed him to play both positions without changing shoes. However, many modern kickers (the "soccer-style" term has all but disappeared) use a shoe that features a smooth contact surface.
Mark Moseley was the last full-time straight-ahead place kicker in the NFL, retiring after the 1986 season. Moseley was also among the best kickers of any style, having been the only NFL kicker to ever be named league MVP. Steve Cox kicked the last straight-ahead field goal in the NFL in 1987. Cox was a punter who also kicked off and occasionally kicked long field goals.
Edmonton Eskimos place kicker Dave Cutler was among the last straight-ahead kickers in the CFL. Despite the widespread adoption of the instep kick since his retirement in 1984, Cutler remains one of the most successful kickers in league history.
Drop kick
A drop kick is made when the kicker drops the ball and then kicks it when it bounces off the ground. This kick was popular in the early 1900s. However, the modern American football is more pointed on both ends, making the bounce less reliable. The main advantages of the drop kick are that 1) the kicking team gains an additional blocker and 2) there is one less person (the holder) who has to do their job perfectly to succeed. Because the advantage of an extra blocker is minimal and professional teams practice their special teams so frequently (meaning the holds are usually good), drop kicks are rarely seen because only straight-on kickers can do it for the most part.
The last successful drop kick in the NFL was made on January 1, 2006, by New England Patriots quarterback Doug Flutie for an extra point. It was the first time in 64 years that a drop kick was converted for an extra point in the NFL.
The last successful drop-kick extra point in the NCAA was by Aaron Fitzgerald of the University of LaVerne on November 10, 1990, against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. [1]
History
In the early days of football, kicking was highly emphasized.
In 1883 the scoring system was devised and field goals counted 5 points while touchdowns and conversions counted 3 each.
In 1897 the touchdown was raised to 5 points while the conversion was lowered to 1 point.
The field goal was changed to 4 points in 1904 and then to the modern 3 points in 1909.
The touchdown was changed to 6 points in 1912 (in American football; the Canadian game did not change this until 1956).
In 1924 the conversion was spotted at the 3-yard line.
In 1925–1928 it was moved to the 5-yard line.
In 1929 it was moved to the 2-yard line.
Finally, in 1968 it was moved back to the 3-yard line.
The goalposts were originally located on the goal line; this led to many injuries and sometimes interfered with play, and the NCAA moved the goal posts to the rear of the end zone in 1927. The NFL (still following NCAA rules at the time) followed suit, but moved the posts back to the goal line in 1932, where they remained until 1974. The Canadian game still has posts on the goal line.
In 1959 the NCAA goalposts were widened to 23 feet 4 inches, the standard width for high school posts today.
In 1988 the NCAA banned the kicking tee, requiring kicks from the ground.
In 1991 the college goalposts were reduced in width to 18 feet 6 inches, the width of NFL goal posts. In 1991 and 1992, this meant severe angles for short field goal attempts, since the hashmarks were still located 53 feet 4 inches apart. In 1993, the NCAA narrowed the distance between the hashmarks to 40 feet (which was the width of hashmarks in the NFL until 1972, when they were narrowed to 18 feet 6 inches).
Like the collegiate goalposts, the NFL goal posts were located on the goal line. They were moved to the rear of the end zone in 1974, as a result of the narrowed hashmark distance of 1972, which had made for easier field-goal angles.
In 1967, the NFL adopted the "slingshot" goalpost, with a single post curving to support the crossbar. The NCAA later adopted the same rule, but later allowed the use of "offset" goalposts, with two posts rather than one. Three schools in Division I-A currently use two posts instead of one for goalposts in their stadiums: Florida State, LSU, and Washington State. A special exemption was allowed by the NFL for the New Orleans Saints to use the offset goalposts during their 2005 season, when they used LSU's stadium for home games in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Field-goal records
Longest field goals
[edit] National Football League
63 yards: Tom Dempsey, New Orleans Saints (W 19-17) v Detroit Lions, November 8, 1970
63 yards: Jason Elam, Denver Broncos v (W 37-24) Jacksonville Jaguars, October 25, 1998
Canadian Football League
62 yards: Paul McCallum, Saskatchewan Roughriders (W 12–3) v Edmonton Eskimos, October 27, 2001
60 yards: Dave Ridgway, Saskatchewan Roughriders (L 25-29) v Winnipeg Blue Bombers, September 6, 1987
Arena Football League
63 yards: Aaron Mills, San Jose SaberCats (W 26–6) v Florida Bobcats, May 18, 1996
62 yards: Brent Williams, Dallas Desperados v Austin Wranglers May 22, 2000
Collegiate
69 yards: Ove Johansson, Abilene Christian (W 17–0) v East Texas State, October 16, 1976 (2-inch tee) Shotwell Stadium, Abilene. NAIA.
67 yards: Russell Erxleben, Texas (W 72–15) v Rice, October 1, 1977 (2-inch tee)
67 yards: Steve Little, Arkansas (L 9–13) v Texas, October 15, 1977 (2-inch tee)
67 yards: Joe Williams, Wichita State (W 33–7) v Southern Illinois, October 21, 1978 (2-inch tee)
67 yards: Tom Odle, Fort Hays State (W 22–14) v Washburn, November 5, 1988 (2-inch tee), NCAA Division II.
67 yards: Mike Billengas, Tecnologico de Monterrey Campus Mexico City ([Mexico City, Mexico]) (L 22–14) v UVM (MEX), July 27, 2006[citation needed]
65 yards: John Triplett Haxall, Princeton (L 1g,1s-2g,2t,1s) v Yale, November 30, 1882 (w/out tee) The Polo Grounds, 5th Avenue at 110th Street, New York City. [2]
65 yards: J.P. Ross, Birmingham A.C. (W 5–4) v Alabama, November 12, 1892 (drop-kick)
65 yards: Tony Franklin, Texas A&M (W 24–0) v Baylor, October 16, 1976 (2-inch tee) (after Johansson's 69–yarder)
65 yards: Martin Gramatica, Kansas State (W 73–7) v Northern Illinois September 12, 1998 (longest in NCAA history without a tee)
64 yards: Jose Martinez, UTEP (W 58–13) v UCF, September 27, 2008
64 yards: Tony Franklin, Texas A&M (W 24–0) v Baylor, October 16, 1976 (2-inch tee) (before Johansson's 69–yarder)
64 yards: Russell Erxleben, Texas (W 13–6) v Oklahoma (2-inch tee) October 8, 1977
63 yards: Morten Andersen, Michigan State, at Ohio State, September 19, 1981
63 yards: Joe Duren, Arkansas State (W 22–20) v McNeese State, November 23, 1974 (2-inch tee) NCAA Division II
63 yards: Scott Roper, Arkansas State (W 27–20) v North Texas State, November 7, 1987 (2-inch tee) NCAA Division 1-AA [1]
63 yards: Bill Gramática, South Florida v. Austin Peay, November 18, 2000 (longest field goal at sea level w/o tee in NCAA history)
62 yards: Jason Hanson, Washington State University vs. University of Nevada at Las Vegas, September 28, 1991 (w/o tee)
62 yards: Derek Doerfler, Baker University vs. William Jewell College, 2007
61 yards: Mark Porter, Kansas State Wildcats vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers, October 22, 1988
61 yards: Ralf Mojsiejenko, Michigan State, at Illinois, September 11, 1982
61 yards: Bill Shear, Cortland State (NY) vs. Hobart, 1966. 1st 60+ yard field goal at any level of organized football
61 yards: Steve Little, Arkansas (L 9–3) v Tulsa, September 25, 1976 (2-inch tee)
60 yards: Bill McClard, Arkansas (W 36–3) v SMU, November 14, 1970 (2-inch tee)
60 yards: Russell Erxleben, Texas (W 26–0) v Texas Tech October 29, 1977
60 yards: Kevin Butler, Georgia (W 26–23) v. Clemson 1984
60 yards: John Hall, Wisconsin (W 34-27) v. Minnesota November 11, 1995
60 yards: Pete Garces, Idaho State v Cal State Northridge, 1998
60 yards: Mason Crosby, Colorado v Iowa State, 2004
60 yards: Gary Cismesia, Florida State University (L 12–45) vs. University of Florida, 2007
59 yards: Jan Stenerud, Montana State v Montana, 1965
59 yards: Joe Petrone, Idaho State (W 53–32)v Portland state, 1968
59 yards: Ralf Mojsiejenko, Michigan State, at Purdue, October 1, 1983
59 yards: Cloyce Hinton, Ole Miss v Georgia, October 11, 1969
59 yards: Jared Siegel, Oregon v UCLA , 2002
58 yards: Jon Bacon, University of Cincinnati (T 17–17) @ Miami, Ohio 1994
58 yards: Mason Crosby, Colorado (L 23–3) @ Miami, 2005
57 yards: Morten Andersen, Michigan State, at Michigan, October 1, 1980
57 yards: Gene Branum, Austin College (T 24–24) v Concordia College, December 12, 81 (NAIA Division II National Championship Game)
57 yards: Ryan Harrison, Air Force (W 20–17) v Texas Christian, September 13, 2007
57 yards: Derek Doerfler, Baker University vs. Culver-Stockton College, 2007
57 yards: Alex Henery #90, Nebraska Cornhuskers (W 40-31) vs. Colorado Buffaloes November 28, 2008
Tony Franklin is the only kicker with 2 field goals over 60 yards in the same game. Russell Erxleben kicked 3 field goals over 60 yards in 1977, an NCAA record.
Scott Lewis attempted the longest field goal in college football history, 72 yards, Arizona State vs USC, October 4, 1980.
Kevin Butler attempted a 72 yard field goal, Georgia vs. Florida State, 1984 Citrus Bowl.
High school
68 yards: Dirk Borgognone, Reno High School (NV) v Sparks (NV), 9/27/1985[2]
68 yards: Joshua B Poulsen, Wesley Chapel High School (FL) v Dade City HS (FL), 2000 [2][citation needed]
67 yards: Rusty Curry, Duluth High School (Duluth, GA) (W 13—6) v Norcross High School (Norcross, GA), 1999[3]
67 yards: Russell Cowsert, Dallas Christian HS (TX) (W 67–0) v Fort Worth Nolan HS (TX), 1987[citation needed]
67 yards: Ed Nee Prospect High School (IL) v Hersey HS (IL) 1985
67 yards: Tim DeArmond, Eudora High School (Kansas) (w 31–0) v Baldwin HS (KS), October 3, 2007
67 yards: Matthew Gerk, Fort Morgan HS(CO) (W 54–6) v Brush HS(CO), 2006[citation needed]
67 yards:Andrew Bailey, Alamo Heights High School (Texas) (W 24–17) v Fredericksburg HS(TX), October 12, 2007