In most high school football games, the kickoff is taken from the kicking team’s own 40-yard line. After a safety, the team generally kicks from its own 20-yard line, while penalties or state-specific rules can change the spot.
This guide explains where the ball is placed, when the kickoff happens, and what changes after a safety. You’ll also see how to tell your own 40-yard line from the opponent’s, what happens if a kick goes out of bounds, and why the answer can differ in Texas. The main rule is simple: check the team’s own goal line and the game situation before locating the ball.
where do you kickoff from in high school football?
Under the standard high school rules used by most states, a team kicks off from its own 40-yard line to start each half and after scoring a touchdown or field goal. “Own” means the 40-yard line on the kicking team’s side of the field, not the opponent’s 40.
A safety is the main routine exception: the team that gave up the safety typically free-kicks from its own 20-yard line. A penalty can also move the kickoff spot. State associations may adopt different rules, so the rulebook used for that game is the final authority.
For example, if Team A scores a touchdown, Team A usually kicks from its own 40 to Team B. If Team A gives up a safety, Team A has to kick again, but the standard spot is its own 20. The direction of play does not change which team’s yard line is used.
Kickoff spots by game situation
The kickoff spot depends first on why the ball is being put in play. Use this table as a quick guide to the standard high school rule.
| Situation | Usual kickoff spot | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Start of the first half | Kicking team’s own 40-yard line | The opening coin-toss choices determine which team kicks and which receives. |
| Start of the second half | Kicking team’s own 40-yard line | The teams’ first-half choices and possession order determine who kicks. |
| After a touchdown and extra-point attempt | Scoring team’s own 40-yard line | The kickoff follows the scoring play and try. |
| After a field goal | Scoring team’s own 40-yard line | The scoring team usually kicks to the opponent. |
| After a safety | Team that gave up the safety, usually from its own 20-yard line | This is a free kick after the score, not a normal post-touchdown kickoff. |
| After a penalty that affects the free kick | May be moved from the usual spot | The referee’s penalty enforcement determines the actual location. |
“Usually” matters here. A penalty before the kick, a state rule variation, or a special game circumstance can change the location or the type of free kick. If the officials announce a different spot, follow that ruling rather than relying on the standard starting point.
How to find the kicking team’s own 40
Each team has its own 40-yard line. The field is marked in 10-yard increments, with shorter hash marks between the yard lines. Find the 40 on the kicking team’s half of the field, then check the direction that team is defending.
- Identify the kicking team. After a score, this is usually the team that scored. At the start of a half, it depends on the coin-toss decisions.
- Locate that team’s goal line. The team’s own territory is the half of the field extending from its goal line toward midfield.
- Find the 40-yard line in that territory. The standard kickoff is from this line, unless a safety, penalty, or local rule changes it.
- Wait for the officials’ signal. The referee crew confirms the spot and makes sure the teams are ready before the kick.
A common mix-up happens because the field has two 40-yard lines. One is 40 yards from one goal line; the other is 40 yards from the opposite goal line. The kicking team uses the one on its own side, not the 40 closest to the receiving team’s end zone.
Also, the kickoff line is not the same as the line where the receiving team will take possession. The ball travels downfield, and the next play starts wherever the ball becomes dead under the applicable rules.
When the kickoff happens
A kickoff is a type of free kick, which is a kick that starts a play without a snap from scrimmage. In standard high school football, a free kick starts each half and follows a touchdown or field goal. A team that gives up a safety also puts the ball back into play with a free kick.
After a touchdown, the scoring team first has a try, often called the extra-point attempt. The kickoff comes after that try. A successful field goal also leads to a kickoff by the scoring team. If a team scores a safety, the team that allowed the points must perform the ensuing free kick.
At the beginning of a game, the coin toss helps decide who kicks and who receives. The team that wins the toss may choose to receive, kick, or defer its choice to the second half, subject to the choices available under the rulebook. For the second half, the teams carry out the choices made before the game.
These details explain why the team kicking off can change during a game. The kicking team is not always the team that started with the ball, and after a score it is generally the team that just scored.
Why the answer may differ by state
Most state high school associations use rules based on the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) code. Under the standard NFHS setup, the regular kickoff spot is the kicking team’s 40. Some states or leagues use modifications, however, so the national rule is not automatically the rule for every school game.
Texas is a notable example: University Interscholastic League (UIL) football uses NCAA rules with UIL modifications. NCAA rules place a regular kickoff at the kicking team’s 35-yard line, so a Texas high school game may use the 35 rather than the usual NFHS 40. That difference is easy to miss if you assume every state follows the same code.
Rules can also be adjusted for particular leagues, age groups, or unusual game conditions. If you are a player, coach, or parent preparing for a game, ask which rules the competition follows. For a specific game, the crew’s pregame instructions and the applicable state association rulebook are more useful than a generic national answer.
What can change the normal kickoff spot?
Penalty enforcement
A penalty connected with the scoring play or the kickoff may affect where the kick is taken. The enforcement depends on the foul, when it happened, and the options provided by the applicable code. That is why the kicking team should not assume the ball will remain on the 40 after every score.
Listen to the referee’s announcement and look for the ball placement before lining up. If a penalty moves the spot, the new location is the one the officials will use. Players should not try to estimate the enforcement from the stands or from a previous play.
A safety
After a safety, the team that surrendered the points performs a free kick from its own 20-yard line under the standard NFHS rule. That kick is still a free kick, but it does not use the ordinary post-score 40-yard spot.
Do not confuse a safety with a touchdown scored by the defense. The team responsible for the safety is the one that must kick afterward; after a touchdown, the scoring team usually kicks after its try.
Rules that vary by competition
A state association can use a different rules code or approved adjustments. Texas is a clear example because its high school rules are based on the NCAA code, which uses a different standard kickoff line. Youth, school, and independent leagues may also have their own approved provisions.
If you are unsure, confirm the rules before game day with the school or league. This is especially helpful when attending a game in another state or watching a tournament with teams from different associations.
What happens after the ball is kicked?
The kickoff is not complete just because the kicker contacts the ball. The receiving team may catch or recover it and attempt a return. The play ends when the ball becomes dead under the rules, such as when a runner is tackled or goes out of bounds, or when the ball goes out of bounds without being legally touched.
A free kick generally must travel the required distance before the kicking team can legally recover it, unless a receiving-team player touches it first. The receiving team may also choose not to return a kick that reaches its end zone. The exact result depends on where the ball lands, whether it is touched, and the rules in effect.
If the kick goes out of bounds, it creates a foul and gives the receiving team options under the applicable code. The specific enforcement can depend on the rule set and the circumstances of the kick. The practical point for a kicker is straightforward: aim for a controlled, legal kick that stays in bounds, rather than assuming an out-of-bounds kick will be harmless.
After a return, the receiving team’s offense starts from the spot where the play ends, subject to any penalty or touchback ruling. That spot can be far from the kickoff line, so the 40-yard line tells you where the play began, not where the next scrimmage down must begin.
Kickoff mistakes that cause confusion
- Using the opponent’s 40. The standard NFHS kickoff is from the kicking team’s own 40, not the opponent’s.
- Assuming every post-score kick comes from the same line. A safety is different from a touchdown or field goal.
- Treating the 40 as universal. Some states use another rules code or modifications; Texas commonly follows the NCAA-based UIL rules.
- Confusing the kick spot with the next possession spot. The kickoff begins at one location, but the return or touchback determines where the next offense starts.
- Forgetting penalties. Enforcement can change the location, so the announced spot matters more than the default.
Useful sideline tip: Before a game, ask whether it follows NFHS or another code and note the standard kickoff line for that competition. That one check prevents confusion when a broadcast, online rule summary, or visiting team describes a different spot.
Quick answer for players and spectators
For most high school games, expect the kicking team to kick from its own 40-yard line at the start of each half and after a touchdown or field goal. After a safety, expect a free kick from the team’s own 20 under the standard NFHS rule.
If the spot looks different, check for a penalty, a state-specific rule, or a rules code such as the NCAA-based system used by Texas UIL. The most reliable way to settle a close question is to identify the game’s rulebook and follow the officials’ placement.
In most high school games, the standard kickoff comes from the kicking team’s own 40-yard line. A safety, penalty, or state rule can change the spot, so the 40-yard line is the default—not a guarantee for every kick.
Before the next game, check whether the league uses NFHS or another rules code, then confirm the ball placement with the officials. That quick check answers where do you kickoff from in high school football for the game you are watching or playing.