One of the most misunderstood rules in the NFHS code is kick catching interference. Many officials know they are supposed to protect the receiver, but they sometimes focus only on whether the receiver was contacted. The rule prohibits three separate actions by the kicking team while the kick is in flight.
Rule 6-5-6 states:
While any free kick is in flight in or beyond the neutral zone to the receiver’s goal line or any scrimmage kick is in flight beyond the neutral zone to the receiver’s goal line, K shall not touch the ball or R, unless blocked into the ball or R, or to ward off a blocker; or obstruct R’s path to the ball.
Notice that this single rule contains three independent prohibitions. When judging a potential kick catching interference foul, ask yourself these three questions.
1. Did Team K touch the ball?
2. Did Team K touch the receiver?
3. Did Team K obstruct Team R’s path to the ball?
If the answer to any one of those questions is yes, then Team K may have committed kick catching interference.
1. Rule 6-5-6 prohibits Team K from touching a kick while it is still in flight, unless blocked into the ball.
There is an exception to 6-5-6: Team K may touch a scrimmage kick beyond the neutral zone if no Team R player is in position to catch the ball. Officials should always evaluate whether a receiver had a realistic opportunity to make the catch before ruling on this exception.
Team K can never touch a free kick in flight, regardless of the proximity of Team R players. The 6-5-6 exception only applies to scrimmage kicks.
2. Team K may not touch the receiver while the kick is in flight, unless blocked into Team R, or to ward off a blocker. Fortunately, this part of the rule is usually straightforward.
3. The third prohibition is the one that creates the most confusion. Team K may not obstruct Team R’s path to the ball.
Many coaches still believe there is a “halo rule” that requires a certain amount of space around the receiver. That is not part of the NFHS rules. Simply being close to the receiver is not a foul.
Instead, the question is whether Team K obstructed Team R’s path to the ball.
This distinction is important. If the receiver catches the punt without changing his path or being impeded, then there was no obstruction. A coach may complain that the kicking team player was too close, but the proper response is simple: The Team R player successfully completed the catch, so there was no obstruction. There is no halo rule in NFHS football.
Obstruction does not require contact. A Team K player who is standing perfectly still can still commit kick catching interference if his body blocks the receiver’s path to the ball. Likewise, if the receiver must alter his route, slow down, or run around a Team K player to reach the kick, Team K has obstructed the receiver’s path. The rule protects the receiver’s opportunity to make the catch, not merely his body from contact.
Officials should be especially alert on high, short punts. These kicks often draw linemen and interior players into an area where they rarely find themselves during a scrimmage kick. Many of these players are focused entirely on locating the football and have little awareness of where the receiver is attempting to go. As a result, these plays produce some of the best opportunities for kick catching interference. Officials who anticipate these situations will be in a much better position to recognize obstruction before everyone else is looking at the catch.
Quiz
Read the quiz stem and then choose the best answer.
4/6 from the K-40. While the scrimmage kick is in flight, K33 contacts receiver R46 at the R-35 before the ball arrives. R46 muffs the kick at the R-35, recovers the ball at the R-40 and runs to the K-22 where he is downed.
- No foul because R46 was able to recover the kick and advance
- Foul for kick catching interference. Enforce the penalty from the K-22 (end of the run)
- Foul for kick catching interference. Team R will accept the results of the play
Review Rules 6-5-6 and 6-5-6 PENALTY