# A punt on 4th and goal

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-punt-on-4th-and-goal/795992>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [September 10, 2017, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-punt-on-4th-and-goal/795992 "2017-09-10T11:18:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-punt-on-4th-and-goal/795992/21 "2017-09-11T19:13:48Z")

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> [@Atamasama](#):
>
> I don’t know how often you get penalized for doing something that hurts your team. That’s kind of like penalizing a player for running the wrong direction. No penalty is needed, that team is already suffering because the player is a bonehead.

There is nevertheless a rule against intentionally batting or kicking a free ball toward the opponent’s goal line, and I _have_ seen it flagged and penalized. It usually comes up in a situation where the player _can’t_ secure the ball, either because he has too much momentum going or his body is at the wrong angle, so he just takes a whack or a kick at it to get it moving in the right direction.

The Mississippi State ball-shoves were borderline. It’s hard to read a guy’s intent. The officials were satisfied that they were _trying_ to secure the ball and _just happened_ to knock it backward.

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**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-punt-on-4th-and-goal/795992/22 "2017-09-11T19:59:55Z")

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I recall a high school (maybe college?) coach nationally (in)famous for never punting - I wonder if that field position would cause him to change his mind?

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**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-punt-on-4th-and-goal/795992/23 "2017-09-11T22:42:59Z")

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> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#):
>
> There is nevertheless a rule against intentionally batting or kicking a free ball toward the opponent’s goal line, and I _have_ seen it flagged and penalized. It usually comes up in a situation where the player _can’t_ secure the ball, either because he has too much momentum going or his body is at the wrong angle, so he just takes a whack or a kick at it to get it moving in the right direction.
> 
> The Mississippi State ball-shoves were borderline. It’s hard to read a guy’s intent. The officials were satisfied that they were _trying_ to secure the ball and _just happened_ to knock it backward.

I know that intentionally batting a loose ball out the back of the end zone to force a touchback is illegal in the NFL, but I wasn’t sure if it was illegal in the field of play or if that rule was the same in college ball.

Also that NFL rule is an on-the-spot judgment call and not reviewable.

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