Post by Coach Campbell on Jun 6, 2011 6:48:34 GMT
A field goal in American 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 practically extinct 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 ft 6 in apart, to count.
Because a field goal is worth only three points, while a touchdown scores at least six (usually seven and potentially eight with the extra point), teams will generally attempt a field goal only 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 within about 45 yards of the goal posts.
In the first half, there is only enough time remaining to execute one more play.
In the second half, there is only enough time remaining to execute one more play, 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 a FG is the quickest and easiest way to end the match.
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) or at the line of scrimmage (in the NCAA). In American high school rules and Canadian football, where a missed field goal is treated the same as a punt, most teams still opt not to attempt field goals from very long range, since field goal formations are not conducive to covering punts. Even under ideal conditions, the best professional kickers 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 their last down, they can punt to the other team. A punt cannot score any points in American football unless the receiving team touches the ball first and the kicking team recovers it (though it can result in a single in Canadian football), but it may push the other team back toward its own end.
Jason Elam shares the record with Tom Dempsey for the longest kick in NFL history with a 63-yard field goal. 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) was 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
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 along 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. 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 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, 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 returned the kick. Thus, teams will usually return a kick only towards the end of a half or in a particularly desperate situation. The holder usually lines up seven to eight 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.
Texas A&M attempts to kick a field goal against The Citadel in 2006.The measurement of a field goal's distance is from the goalpost to the point where the ball was positioned for the kick by the holder. In American football, where the goalpost is located at the back of the end zone (above the end line), the ten yards of the end zone are added to the yard line distance at the spot of the hold.
Missed 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 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 over the cross bar and through the uprights.
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.
NCAAIn the NCAA, the opposing team takes possession at the line of scrimmage rather than at the spot of the kick.[citation needed]
High school 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. If a field goal is blocked behind the line of scrimmage either team may pick it up and return it until they are ruled down, out of bounds, or score a touchdown.
Canadian footballIn 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.
Returning a missed field goal is much more common[says who?] than in American rules for a few reasons. First, since the goal posts are on the goal line in front of a 20-yard endzone (rather than at the back of a 10-yard endzone), a missed field goal is much less likely to go out of bounds while in the air. Also, returning the ball out of the end zone allows the defense to avoid giving up a single point, which may be crucial in a tight game. Moreover, 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 35-yard line to be a better gamble than returning a missed field goal and avoiding a single.
Blocked field goalsOccasionally (about once in 40 field goal attempts in the NFL), 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.
HistoryIn 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.
As recorded in Guinness World Records:
The record for a fieldgoal is 69 yards. It was kicked by Ove Johansson of the Abilene Christian University Wildcats in the 1976 game against East Texas State University Lions in Shotwell Stadium, Abilene, Texas.[1]
Execution of a field goal.A field goal may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct 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 ft 6 in apart, to count.
Because a field goal is worth only three points, while a touchdown scores at least six (usually seven and potentially eight with the extra point), teams will generally attempt a field goal only 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 within about 45 yards of the goal posts.
In the first half, there is only enough time remaining to execute one more play.
In the second half, there is only enough time remaining to execute one more play, 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 a FG is the quickest and easiest way to end the match.
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) or at the line of scrimmage (in the NCAA). In American high school rules and Canadian football, where a missed field goal is treated the same as a punt, most teams still opt not to attempt field goals from very long range, since field goal formations are not conducive to covering punts. Even under ideal conditions, the best professional kickers 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 their last down, they can punt to the other team. A punt cannot score any points in American football unless the receiving team touches the ball first and the kicking team recovers it (though it can result in a single in Canadian football), but it may push the other team back toward its own end.
Jason Elam shares the record with Tom Dempsey for the longest kick in NFL history with a 63-yard field goal. 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) was 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
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 along 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. 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 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, 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 returned the kick. Thus, teams will usually return a kick only towards the end of a half or in a particularly desperate situation. The holder usually lines up seven to eight 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.
Texas A&M attempts to kick a field goal against The Citadel in 2006.The measurement of a field goal's distance is from the goalpost to the point where the ball was positioned for the kick by the holder. In American football, where the goalpost is located at the back of the end zone (above the end line), the ten yards of the end zone are added to the yard line distance at the spot of the hold.
Missed 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 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 over the cross bar and through the uprights.
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.
NCAAIn the NCAA, the opposing team takes possession at the line of scrimmage rather than at the spot of the kick.[citation needed]
High school 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. If a field goal is blocked behind the line of scrimmage either team may pick it up and return it until they are ruled down, out of bounds, or score a touchdown.
Canadian footballIn 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.
Returning a missed field goal is much more common[says who?] than in American rules for a few reasons. First, since the goal posts are on the goal line in front of a 20-yard endzone (rather than at the back of a 10-yard endzone), a missed field goal is much less likely to go out of bounds while in the air. Also, returning the ball out of the end zone allows the defense to avoid giving up a single point, which may be crucial in a tight game. Moreover, 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 35-yard line to be a better gamble than returning a missed field goal and avoiding a single.
Blocked field goalsOccasionally (about once in 40 field goal attempts in the NFL), 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.
HistoryIn 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.
As recorded in Guinness World Records:
The record for a fieldgoal is 69 yards. It was kicked by Ove Johansson of the Abilene Christian University Wildcats in the 1976 game against East Texas State University Lions in Shotwell Stadium, Abilene, Texas.[1]