Onside Kick

Some people might call this a trick play but it really is more of a specific strategy utilized in desperate times. If a team is behind with little time left on the clock and they are kicking off to the other team, they may utilize an on-side kick. Why? Well, if they are still losing, they need to score to win. A team is much more likely to score if they are on offense. So, to get back on offense, they perform an onside kick.

It is not a high percentage play but it is probably a higher percentage than stopping the other team’s offense quickly enough to get the ball back and still score.

Onside Kick Rules

An onside kick has specific rules. First and foremost, the kicked ball must travel at least 10 yards before the kicking team can touch it. If they touch it within those 10 yards, then the ball goes to the receiving team. Once the ball has traveled 10 yards, anyone can touch it. Next note of importance is that on a kick-off, the ball is ‘live’ once it has gone past 10 yards. That means whatever team gains possession of it after the 10 yards, they get the ball.

Onside Kick Strategy

Kicking Team Strategy – So, although this is not a high percentage play, it is most likely to be successful when the receiving team does not expect the kicking team to attempt an onside kick. This is rarely done and takes a lot of guts because it is likely to end with the receiving team just having great field position.

Outside of that, the kicking team’s strategy will be to have good hands players (as will the receiving team) and will vary on whether they pooch the ball in the air (hopefully over the first line of receiving team’s heads) or if they ‘squib’ the ball so that it rolls awkwardly around on the field, bouncing and bobbling to make it difficult to predict where it is going and thus possess.  (footballs don’t roll well, they are oblong!)

Receiving Team Strategy – The other time an onside kick is attempted is when the kicking team is behind and NEEDS to get the ball back because there is so little time left in the game. In this event, the receiving team’s strategy will be to put players with good hands (receivers, tight ends, running backs) in on the kick off as they will be more likely to be able to possess the ball if they touch it. Normally the players on these special teams are fast, strong and good blockers.

Trick Plays

Trick Play is a page dedicated to explaining some of the most fun plays in the offensive playbook in football. These are rarely used but when they happen and they are successful, they sure are a lot of fun! Check them out.