Pass and kick football

Abstract

A new football game to be called pass and kick football is disclosed. Derived from American football (e.g., National Football League or National Collegiate Athletic Association rules), the new game is devised to be gender neutral, to be played on regular indoor or outdoor football fields that are layed out with the same dimensions, horizontal and vertical chalk marked lines, goal post structures, and other features of regular football playing fields. Junior college, high school, and little league athletes with rules modified to take account of their level of play, age, and competence, may also play pass and kick football. Although some regular football rules are used most pass and kick football rules and playing methods diverge sharply from NFL and NCAA rules and playing methods. In the disclosed football game only passing and kicking plays are allowed, carrying the ball for yardage gains and point scoring involving tackling and blocking opposing players has been eliminated. In place of ball carrying several innovative plays have been added to known forward passing and kicking plays, all of which makes for a kinder and gentler game of football in which body conditioning and player skill are emphasized over brute strength and training aimed at hurting opposing players. The playing rules and methods of pass and kick football also make for few player injuries and reduced team sizes and team budgets. Pass and kick football is a lively sport that vigorous people of all levels of age and competence will be able to plays. Because of this, it is expected that pass and kick football will attract its share of enthusiastic fans.

I claim:  
     
         1 . The rules and methods for playing an active game between two opposing teams derived from American style football (regular football), using regular football playing fields, regular footballs (the ball), in a novel field sport to be known as pass and kick football, comprising playing field lay out; game rules, plays that score points and their point values, playing time arrangements, duties of officials who, among other duties, monitor said games for rule violations and impose penalties for said violations, keep accurate time, and perform other referee duties as required.  
     
     
         2 . A game of pass and kick football between two opposing teams as defined in  claim 1 , comprising play actions that are limited to passing and kicking plays with no ball rushing involved, wherein any properly maintained football field conforming to the requirements of regular football as to size, lay out of chalk marked horizontal and vertical lines, goal post structures and other features required by National Football League (NFL) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) specifications are suitable for playing pass and kick football; also suitable are indoor playing fields that meet NFL and NCAA requirements; downsized playing fields, goal post structures, and smaller size footballs used for playing regular junior college, high school, and little league football games are also suitable for playing pass and kick football in said lower level leagues,  
     
     
         3 . A game of pass and kick football between two opposing teams as defined in  claim 1 , comprising teams composed of a plurality of players that may be of mixed genders, but preferably of eleven players each of the same gender, wherein each team on offense at the start of a down shall preferably field nine scrimmage line players composed of a center lineman and eight other linemen in a ballanced front line, and two backfield players, one a signal caller and play initiator, known as a quarterback, the other a designated kicker, who shall be the only player eligible to execute kicking plays, but, who, along with said quarterback shall be eligible to execute forward pass plays, wherein, also, the team on defense at the start of a down shall field seven scrimmage line players in a balanced front line and four backfield players in unbalanced formation.  
     
     
         4 . A game of pass and kick football between two opposing teams as defined in  claim 1 , comprising passing and kicking plays which, if successfully executed, may produce yardage gains and points scored, wherein six points are scored if a team in possession of the ball (the offense) completes a forward pass into the defensive team's end zone for a touchdown; the offense can score an additional one point after touchdown if the offensive team's ball kicker successfully kicks an assisted place kick of a ball snapped by the center lineman from a point five yards behind the line of scrimmage, within the twenty yard wide verticle center of the playing fied, that goes above the cross bar and between the uprights of the defensive team's goal post.  
     
     
         5 . A game of pass and kick football between two opposing teams as defined in  claim 1 , comprising a way to score two points instead of one point after a touchdown by completion of a forward pass into the defensive team's end zone, said forward pass ball shall be snapped from no closer to the line of scrimmage than the same spot on the horizontal five yard apart line from which an assisted place kick after touchdown would have been kicked.  
     
     
         6 . A game of pass and kick football between two opposing teams as defined in  claim 1 , comprising a throwing play that, if successful, will score two points for the team on offense, said throwing play, to be known as a far-reaching-throwing-play, is not thrown to be caught, but is thrown to be high enough and far enough to clear the defensive team's goal post structure in the same manner as a successful kick after touchdown, said throwing play, in games played on NFL and NCAA regulation playing fields, shall be thrown from at least thirty yards back from a defensive team's goal post to demonstrate a sufficient level of skill on the part of the thrower to ensure that said throwing plays are not assured of success; the required distance back from the line of scrimmage for initiation of throwing plays shall be pre-determined for the level of player competence expected of different conferences, for example, a higher level of competency would be expected at NFL and NCAA level of play than at junior college, high school, and lower competency level leagues.  
     
     
         7 . A game of pass and kick football between two opposing teams as defined in  claim 1 , comprising two kicking plays available to the offense which if executed sucessfully will score three points each, wherein one of said kicking plays is an assisted field goal in which the ball must be snapped by the offensive team's center lineman to a teammate squatting at least ten yards back from the line of scrimmage at a point within the playing field's twenty yard wide verticle central zone and held by said teammate for the kick; if the kick is successful the ball will go above the defensive team's goal post crossbar and between the uprights; the other three point kicking play is an unassisted drop kick in which the ball is snapped to a kicker standing at least five yards behind the line of scrimmage within the field's twenty yard wide verticle central zone, said drop kick must clear a goal post in the same manner as an assisted field goal.  
     
     
         8 . A game of pass and kick football between two opposing teams as defined in  claim 1 , comprising time kreeping arrangements regarding division of games into periods of active play interspersed with periods of rest; both said periods are measured in minutes and monitored by a game official; the preferred play periods for advanced level pass and kick football games are three periods of twenty minutes duration, except that shorter durations varying from three twelve to three fifteen minute periods may be adopted by junior college, high school, and little league teams; the preferred duration of rest periods shall be between five and eight minutes duration; a format of four quarter play periods, a non-play period between halves of as much as twenty-five minutes, which is the format adopted by NFL teams, or some other format, may be adopted by various pass and kick football leagues; a time-keeping official shall be designated to monitor play and rest periods and shall carry a stop-watch for that purpose, said official shall notify each team's quarterback and head coach at least one minute before the expiration of play and rest periods; at the beginning of a new period, possession of the ball on the same scrimmage line as when the previous period ended, with a full complement of downs, shall revert to the team that was in possession of the ball when said period ended.  
     
     
         9 . A game of pass and kick football between two opposing teams as defined in  claim 1 , comprising rules for a new line of scrimmage placement of a ball after completion of a forward pass, wherein an official dedicated to ball placement shall determine the horizontal five yard apart line nearest the spot where said forward pass was caught. Said official shall place the ball on said five yard apart horizontal line as the new line of scrimmage, to ensure that a line of scrimmage shall at all times be located on a five yard apart horizontal line within the playing field's twenty yard wide verticle central zone. If said forward pass is intercepted by a player on the defense, the same procedure for spotting the ball for the next play as in the case of a completed forward pass shall be followed. If a forward pass is judged incomplete by an official, placement of the ball reverts to the previous placement. If a forward pass is nullified by a rule violation, the line of scrimmage for the next play shall be determined by the cicumstsnces; if the team on defense committed the rule violation the penalty shall be a forward or backward placement of the ball equal to the yardage penalty imposed.  
     
     
         10 . A game of pass and kick football between two opposing teams as defined in  claim 1 , comprising new line of scrimmage placement of the ball after a punt by the offense, wherein after a ball is punted to the team on defense and grounded, an official dedicated to ball placement shall determine the new line of scrimmage by the same procedure as if the punt had been a forward pass intercepted by the defense.  
     
     
         11 . A game of pass and kick football between two opposing teams as defined in  claim 1 , comprising certain time monitoring duties by a designated time-keeping official, wherein fourty-five seconds shall be allotted to the offense for completion of a play, the fourty-five seconds shall be divided into two phases; the first phase shall extend from a huddle, through a line-up of teams at the scrimmage line and signal calling, to the ball snap from the center to the backfield, for which twenty-five seconds shall be alloted; the second phase of twenty seconds shall be alloted to the backfied consisting of the quarterback and designated kicker to complete a passing or kicking play. The time-keeping official shall carry a stop-watch to monitor elapsed times; said official shall stop the clock during the following non playing times: 
 a) after completion of the game starting kickoff, kickoffs after touchdowns, field goals, and far-reaching-throwing-plays;    b) when the ball changes possession from one team to another;    c) when a forward pass is incomplete;    d) when a play is nullified by one of the officials because a player has committed a violation of game rules;    e) when a kicked ball goes out of bounds;    f) when a team calls a time out;    g) when a forward pass is caught out of bounds and is declared incomplete by the officials;    h) when a player suffers an injury;    i) wheh a team coach disputes a play decision by the officials and asks for a video playback review of said decision by the referee;    j) when substiutes are being inserted into a line-up.    
     
     
         12 . A game of pass and kick football between two opposing teams as defined in  claim 1 , comprising non-forseeable problems arising during a game, wherein officials shall call a time out to stop the time clock to allow a consultation among themselves how best to handle the problem; for example, if a violent lightning storm requires players, spectators, and officials to seek shelter, the time-keeping official shall not restart the time clock until the storm has subsided and the opposing teams can again line-up at the correct scrimmage line to resume the game; if, however, in the opinion of the officials a game once stopped should not be resumed because weather reports indicate that inclement weather has set in for at least several hours, and even if the storm stops in a lesser time and the playing field remains too wet for the safety of players, officials shall declare one team the winner if said team's score after half of the game has been completed is greater than that of the opposing team; if after half of the game has been played and the score is tied, officials shall declare that the game ended in a tie score; if less than half of a game has been completed, the game shall be declared by officials as called off with no score recorded; no player and team records shall be recorded if a game is called off without a declared winner.  
     
     
         13 . A game of pass and kick football between two opposing teams as defined in  claim 1 , comprising violations of game rules that game officials take notice of by dropping a small flag on the playing field to serve notice to players, head coaches, other officials, and spectators that a violation of the rules has been detected that will nullify the play; the referee shall announce the nature of the violation, point out the guilty player; a penalty shall be imposed on the team whose member committed the violation; if multiple violations are detected in a single play, separate penalties may be imposed on members of the same team; if the violations were committed by players on opposing teams during the same play, imposed penalties may cancel out in whole or in part. Following is a list of rule violations and the penalties assessed: 
 a) a “delay of game” shall be called when a team on offense fails to line up and initiate a play within fourty-five seconds after time-in is called; the assessed penalty shall be loss of five yards, still the same down;    b) a “delay of game” shall be called against a team which requests a review by a referee of a video playback of a disputed decision such as, for example, a pass interference call against a team member. If after review the disputed call is upheld, a loss of a time out penalty in addition to the penalty already assessed for the rule violation shall be assessed; if the disputed decision is overturned after review. there shall be no “loss of a time out”;    c) a “false start shall be called against a team on offense when one or more players in the lined-up position move before the ball is snapped by the center lineman to a backfield player; the assessed penalty shall be loss of five yards, still the same down;    d) a “false start” shall be called against a team on defense when one or more players in the lined-up position move before the ball is snapped by the offensive center lineman to a backfield player; the assessed penalty shall be a gain of five yards for the team on offense, still the same down;    e) a “violation of the time out rules” shall be called against a team if the team calls for a time out after said team's ten minute allotment of time for outs and for other team needs for the game have been taken; the assessed penalty is a loss of five yards, still same down;    f) a “personal foul” shall be called against a player on defense if said player intentionally tries to prevent the forward progress of a player on offence by, for example, holding and blocking; the penalty is a five yard gain for the team on offense, repeat the down; if the personal foul is unintentional, as for example if a player on defense accidently trips and falls in front of a player on offense thus impeding said offensive player's forward progress, if the referee determines that the violation did not affect the outcome of the offensive team's play, no penalty shall be assessed; if the referee determines that the unintentional foul prevented the successful completion of a play, the penalty shall be a five yard gain for the team on offense, still same down; if the player fouled is injured by the foul to the extent that said player cannot continue playing in that period, the penalty shall be a ten yard gain for the offense, next down;    g) a “personal foul” shall be called against a player on defense if said player intentionally interferes with a player on offense attempting to catch a forward pass, the assessed penalty is for the referee to declare that said pass was complete at the point of interference, still same down; if the referee determines that the pass interference was unintentional, the referee shall declare the pass complete at the point of interference, next down;    h) a “personal foul” shall be called against a player on offense if said player interferes with the fair catch of a punt after an opposing kick receiver signals a fair catch by holding both arms straight up, the assessed penalty shall be a gain of ten yards from the point where the fair catch was signaled, first down;    i) a “personal foul” shall be called against a player on offense if said player interferes with the fair catch of a kickoff after an opposing kick receiver signals a fair catch by holding up both arms straight up, the assessed penalty shall be a gain of ten yards from the point where the fair catch was signaled, first down;    j) an “intentional grounding of the ball” shall be called against a backfield player on offense who, while attempting to throw a forward pass, cannot find an open pass receiver, throws the ball forward on the playing field where there are no players, the assessed penalty shall be loss of five yards, same down    k) an “intentional grounding of the ball” shall be called against a backfield player on offense who, while attempting to throw a forward pass cannot find an open pass receiver, and not wanting to take a chance that a forward pass if attempted might be intercepted, holds on to the ball until the fourty-five second time limit for completion of a play runs out, the assessed penalty shall be loss of five yards, same down;    l) an “illegal substitution” shall be called against a team if after a substitute player enters a line-up of players and another player does not return to the sidelines within the twenty-five second period allowed for the snap of a ball from a center lineman to start a play, the penalty assessed against an offensive team with too many players on the field shall be a five yard loss, same down; the penalty assessed against a team on defense shall be a five yard gain for the team on offense, same down;    m) a “player's clothing deficiency” violation shall be called against a player not properly suited for play with the required protective clothing for the particular conference said player's team is a part of, the penaltyassessed shall be suspension from playing in a game until the clothing deficiency is rectified;    n) an “aggravated personal foul” shall be called against a player for unsportsmanlike conduct such as, for example, loudly disputing with an official the outcome of a play, by intentionally jostling an official, by using loud, profane language on the field, by intentionally trying to cause injury to an opposing player by, for example, throwing a punch, committing a “helmet violation”, using unnecessary roughness; notice shall be taken by officials for other violations such as suiting up for a game while under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs, by engaging in any behavior that reflects badly on his team and the game of pass and kick football; the maximum penalty available to officials to deal with an “aggravated personal foul” shall be expulsion from the game.    
     
     
         14 . A game of pass and kick football between two opposing teams as defined in  claim 1 , wherein if a game is tied at the end of regulation play, the rules and procedures for determining if an attempt to produce a game winner shall be agreed upon are as follows: the head coaches of each team shall at their option agree to end the game in a tie or play at least one overtime period in an attempt to break the tie. The procedure for determining which team shall have first possession of the ball shall be the same as at the beginning of a game, by the toss of a coin. The first team that scores two or more points during an overtime period shall be the game winner. If either team fails to score during a first overtime period the head coaches may opt for one more overtime period, The first team that scores two or more score points during the second overtime period shall be the winner. If neither teams scores during a second overtime, the game shall preferably be declared ended in a tie score.