Kicking a Football

[sox 06]

I couldn't decide whether to put this here or in the Leftovers forum. But why does it seem like a kicker can kick a ball further off a tee on kick offs than they can when they kick field goals? On kick offs they seem to boot it like 80 yards, yet any field goal over 50 yards is a stretch for some kickers. Is it just the tee that makes a difference?

[mrblitz]

I think it has more to do with the running start they get when kicking off.

[Indys_time]

^^^^ Yeah Blitz's thought seems to be best. The kicker gets a running start and there are not D-lineman trying to block the kick.

[deluxe_247]

i agree with the running start. when its windy and someone has to hold the ball for a kickoff...they still kick it much further than a field goal, so its not neccessarily the tee.

[sox 06]

The running start thing makes sense. I just always wondered why somone could barely make a 50 yarder but then they boot it in the endzone on the kickoff.

[Indys_time]

The running start thing makes sense. I just always wondered why somone could barely make a 50 yarder but then they boot it in the endzone on the kickoff.

That does seem interesting. , Maybe the ball is easier to kick off of a tee instead of another person holding it.

[sox 06]

The running start thing makes sense. I just always wondered why somone could barely make a 50 yarder but then they boot it in the endzone on the kickoff.

That does seem interesting. , Maybe the ball is easier to kick off of a tee instead of another person holding it.

I was sort of comparing it to golf in my head. A ball is easier to hit off the tee then off the ground. The holder for the field goals is essentially holding the ball on the ground. Maybe it's similar?

[Munboy]

Off a tee the ball is stationary and lifted off the ground. Kicking fieldgoal, the ball is always in motion. From the snap, to the set, to the spin. I remember awhile back, the NFL went to a shorter tee because there were so many touchbacks, so the height of the ball off the ground has something to do with it for sure. Then there's that running start. On a fieldgoal attempt, a kicker gets maybe 3 steps or risks a block.

[sox 06]

Off a tee the ball is stationary and lifted off the ground. Kicking fieldgoal, the ball is always in motion. From the snap, to the set, to the spin. I remember awhile back, the NFL went to a shorter tee because there were so many touchbacks, so the height of the ball off the ground has something to do with it for sure. Then there's that running start. On a fieldgoal attempt, a kicker gets maybe 3 steps or risks a block.

Yeah I was thinking it had to do something with the height of the ball off the ground.

[deerayfan072]

It definetly is harder to kick when someone is holding, think about when the wind knocks the ball off the tee too many times, and then someone holds it, the ball always goes shorter.