By: Referee – June,
When a punt goes out of bounds across a sideline, or when a free kick goes out of bounds across a sideline and team R chooses not to have team K rekick, team R has no choice when it comes to the location of the next snap. The ball will be snapped from the nearest hashmark just as if the ball was carried out of bounds by a runner.
However, when a free kick or punt results in a touchback, team R may choose to snap from anywhere between the hashes. Although most teams won’t argue if the ball is placed in the center of the field, understand it is not a requirement.
Before the ready-for-play signal, the team that will next snap may designate the spot from which the ball is put in play anywhere between the hashmarks for a try or kickoff, following a safety or touchback, or for the start of each overtime series. In NFHS, the privilege may be repeated if the down is replayed or a dead-ball foul occurs, or following a made or awarded fair catch (4-3-6, 4-3-7, 4.3.6). In NCAA, the privilege may be repeated if there is a charged timeout unless preceded by a team A foul or offsetting fouls. Also, for a try only, the spot may be redesignated if the down is replayed due to a team B foul (3-1-3d, 6-1-2, 6-4 Pen., 6-5-1d, 8-3-2c, 8-3-3b-2, 8-5-2, 8-6-2).
