Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!bellcore!decvax!genrad!wjh12!foxvax1!brunix!jts From: jts@brunix.UUCP Newsgroups: net.sport.football Subject: new football play proposal Message-ID: <11360@brunix.UUCP> Date: Tue, 18-Dec-84 10:22:19 EST Article-I.D.: brunix.11360 Posted: Tue Dec 18 10:22:19 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 21-Dec-84 01:07:39 EST Lines: 22 After watching this past Sunday's Cards-'Skins game (a terrific one I might add) I got the idea for a new play. I call it the "onsides punt." It would be an offensive weapon used by a punting team. Generally, the receiving team turns and runs backward in order to get into position to block for their return man. Consequently, many players on the receiving team don't actually see the punt. A punter could take advantage of this by driving a low hard punt just over the heads of his own linemen in the hope that it would hit a player on the receiving team and become a live ball. I've seen this happen a few times on normal punts; the punt isn't caught on the fly and a wild bounce sends it careening off the leg of an unsuspecting blocker. This play would primarily be used when a team is in good field position and they're just a bit too far for a field goal. Even if the kick wouldn't hit an opposing player, it would probably take a good roll and end up around the 20 just like a booming punt for a touchback. What do you think? Bonus question: Suppose a team used this in the waning moments of a game and it worked (glanced off the leg of a receiving team player). Is it a change of possesion, i.e., would the clock be stopped? John Stasko ..!decvax!brunix!jts Brown U.