Kicking Plays Crew Card
Where every official goes on kickoffs, onside kicks, punts, field goals and tries — for crews of five and crews of four.
Download the Kicking Plays Crew Card (PDF, 2 pages) — print at 100% on Letter, two-sided, flip on the long edge.
Built from the OHSAA Gold Book Brief & Concise mechanics for crews of 5 and 4, which follows the NFHS Officials Manual. Associations amend these — the 4-man punt and the good/no-good call move most; check Vermont's guidance before teaching it.
Who's who
| Position | |
|---|---|
| R | Referee (white hat) |
| U | Umpire |
| LM | Linesman (H/DJ) |
| LJ | Line Judge |
| BJ | Back Judge (5-man only) |
| ✕ | Kicking team |
| ○ | Receiving team |
In every diagram below the white marker is the Referee, and the press box is on the right.
Kickoff
Tee and kicker come on · free kick from K's 40.
Everyone on this play
- Think onside first, every single kick. Bean bag in hand outside the line.
- Nobody kicks without 11 and 11. Raise an arm to the Referee when your count is good and your area is clear.
- Only the covering official winds the clock — between the hashes that is the Referee alone; in a side zone it is the Referee and the near wing.
- Trail the runner by at least five yards. Blocks ahead of him matter more than the dead-ball spot.
Referee — white hat only
- Straddle R's goal line, middle of the field. In a crew of 4, R's 10 on the press box side.
- Collect every raised arm, then sound the ready.
- Five-yard cushion; hold the goal line until it is no longer threatened. Rule the touchback, bag momentum inside the 5.
- On a touchback, signal it and jog upfield sounding your whistle repeatedly.
Positions
| Crew of 5 | Crew of 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| R | Straddles R's goal line, middle. Wide side of a single returner; splits two. | R's 10, press box side. |
| U | R's restraining line (the 50), 2 yds out of bounds, opposite press box. | K's 40, opposite the press box — Team K and K's line, alone. |
| LM | Goal line, sideline opposite the press box. | R's 10, opposite the press box. |
| LJ | Goal line, press box sideline. | The 50 (R's restraining line), press box sideline. |
| BJ | K's 40, 2 yds out of bounds, press box side. Hands the kicker the ball, then clears. | — |
Crew of 5: wings move up to the 10 if that team's first kick fell short of the 15. Crew of 4: no Back Judge — Referee and both wings count Team R.
Onside and short free kick
Score and time say they need it back.
Everyone on this play
- Officiate your restraining line as a plane. Bag in hand, restricted area cleared before you raise your arm.
- Never signal that a short kick is expected — be ready for one every time.
- Know first touching and exactly where it happened. K cannot recover before the ball goes ten yards or is touched by R.
- On the pile, the officials at the restraining lines dig it out. Find the ball before anyone signals.
Referee — white hat only
- Middle of the field on the goal line, both crew sizes. Stay until the ball can no longer reach it.
- The call to go to short alignment is yours if the crew disagrees. When in doubt, use it.
- If a coach says in pregame that his team kicks short, use it every time they kick.
Positions
| Crew of 5 | Crew of 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| R | Middle of the field, on the goal line. | Middle of the field, on the goal line. |
| U | K's 40, opposite the press box. | K's 40, opposite the press box — alone on that line. |
| LM / LJ | Up to the 50 (R's line) on their own sidelines. | Up to the 50 on their own sidelines. |
| BJ | K's 40, press box side. | — |
Crew of 5: U and BJ hold at the 40 for first touching, early blocks and possession. Crew of 4: nobody has K's line on the press box side — say it out loud so that wing helps.
Punt
4th down, K in scrimmage kick formation.
Everyone on this play
- Wings hold the line of scrimmage until the kick crosses it — use the down box as your reference.
- The deep official bags the post-scrimmage-kick spot and first touching, and owns the goal line and touchbacks.
- K is exempt from the 50–79 numbering rule; note the numbers in case they throw. Officiate the fake all the way through.
- Once the kick is away, cover blocks ahead of the returner, not the ball.
Referee — white hat only
- Five yards deep, ten wide of the punter at 45°, wide side. Punter in his own end zone — you're on the end line.
- Tell R: stay off the center, stay off the punter. Watch for a low snap and the kicker's knee.
- Yell "ball's away." Roughing or running into — stay with the kicker until there is no threat, then jog to the line and stop. Long return: back-pedal to the goal line.
Positions
| Crew of 5 | Crew of 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| R | Five deep, ten wide of the punter at 45°, wide side of the field. | Same as a crew of 5. |
| U | Seven yards off the line inside the ends, opposite the Referee. | Takes the deep spot — everything the 5-man Back Judge does, PSK bag and goal line included. |
| LM / LJ | LM: sideline at the line, pauses first, reading a possible block. LJ: sideline, straddling the line until the kick crosses. | Both hold their own sidelines at the line of scrimmage. |
| BJ | Eight wide, five deep of one returner; splits two at five. Goal line if the returner is on or inside R's 10. | — |
Punts are the only play where the Umpire mirrors the Referee. In a crew of 4 nobody is in the interior, and the Referee widens his clean-up behind the kick.
Field goal and try
Tee and place-kicker come on — call it out.
Everyone on this play
- Call the tee and kicker out loud the moment they come on the field.
- The two under the posts signal together, then step two yards into the end zone. Miss landing in the end zone: no score, then touchback.
- Wings on the field numbers: snap, fake, near tight end or wingback block. On a fake short of the goal line they mark progress only.
- The snapper gets two seconds of protection — direct contact inside that is a foul. A blocked kick stays alive.
Referee — white hat only
- Plant-leg side of the kicker: five deeper than the holder, ten wide, shoulders at 45°. Do not mark the ball ready until the Umpire reaches the end line.
- Keys: eligible backs and holder's number · snap · snapper · holder · catch · no fake · rushers · kicker and holder.
- Ask the captain where he wants it spotted for the try. You do not signal the score.
Positions
| Crew of 5 | Crew of 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| R | Plant-leg side of the kicker, five deeper and ten wide of the holder. | Same as a crew of 5. |
| U | Under the upright opposite the press box. | Takes one upright. |
| LM / LJ | On the field numbers at the line of scrimmage. | The wing looking at the Referee's back releases to the end line, takes the other upright. |
| BJ | Under the press box upright. | — |
Crew of 5 muddle huddle: the two under the posts move to the end line, wings go 2 yds out of bounds. Crew of 4: the other wing stays on the numbers at the line, alone — settle who rules the kick good or no good.
Settle these before the toss
The white hat runs it; everyone answers.
- Who goes deep on a 4-man punt. This card sends the Umpire. Some associations send the Line Judge and keep the Umpire inside.
- Who rules the kick good or no good — the officials under the posts, or the Referee from behind on a short try.
- Kickoff details. Wings at the goal line or up to the 10; which sideline the Referee takes in a crew of 4; who has the opposite pylon.
- Free kick after a safety, and after a fair catch. Both rare, both a different alignment.
- Counting. Referee and both wings count Team R; Umpire and Back Judge count Team K. No kick without 11 and 11.