ECFA 2010-11 (Ed's Colege Football Association)

[RooMorgans]

PUNTS

Punts are only commenced on every other opportunity, simliar to kickoffs. The first time a team punts, a full lineup is done and the punt play is run. The next time, and every other time after that, there is no lineup and player movement, as the punt is considered fair caught.

When a punt is fair caught, one d6 is rolled. If the roll is 1-3, yardage is added to the base 40-yard punt; if the roll is 4-6, yardage is subtracted from the base 40-yard punt. After this, 2 d6 are rolled and totaled. That result, 2-through 12, is then adjusted to the 40-yard punt length based on the first roll.

On actual punt plays, both teams lineup in the prescribed punt formations. The punting team has 7 men on the line of scrimmage, and 3 gunners (2 on either side, 1 on the other). The punter is placed in the middle of the field, 15 yards behind the line of scrimmage, via a magnetic referee. The defense lines up 7 men on the line, and three blockers 40 yards behind the line of scrimmage. The designated punt returner is removed from the field. The board is run for 2.0 seconds. If any part of any defender's base touches the magnetic referee's base, the punt is blocked and the defending team receives the ball at that spot. If not, the dice roll procedure from above is commenced. Once the punt yardage is determined, the magentic referee is placed at the punt return spot, and the 11th kicking team player replaces the magentic referee. Unengaged kicking team players are pivoted toward the returner. The board is then run for a time based on the length of the punt.

For example:

28-yard punt: 2.8 seconds
40-yard punt: 4.0 seconds
52-yard punt: 5.2 seconds

If any kicking team player makes any base contact with the magnetic referee, the punt returner is tackled at that spot and it is a 0-yard return. If there is no contact, the returner replaces the referee, unengaged defenders are pivoted, and the punt return commences until the returner is tackled, he runs out of bounds, or he scores a touchdown.

Ed