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Q:  A situation came up regarding the holder on a place kick. What it boils down to is if a holder MUST have a knee on the ground when taking a snap. I looked everywhere, and cannot find where it states he must have it down. In the rule book, under a player being down, in the exception section, it states that a holder with a knee on the ground is not down, but may rise up to run, pass, pitch, etc. I contended that a holder could just as easily be in a crouch position with neither knee touching, and still place the ball on the kicking block, or then take off and run, pass, pitch, etc. Other officials then questioned if the holder would be protected. I say yes because he is in position to receive the snap and the kicker was in position to kick. Could you please verify this, and if a holder must have a knee down, where exactly does it state that?

A:  Referee Magazine addressed this situation and difference in their latest issue in an article called “No ‘Fire’ Alarm - Officials Must Exude Calm on Broken Plays” by George Demetriou.  http://www.referee.com/referee-magazine/current-issue  

Rule:  4-2-2a Exc., Note

Rule 4 Ball in Play, Dead Ball and out of Bounds
Section 2 – Dead Ball and End of the Down

ART. 2 . . . The ball becomes dead and the down is ended:
a. When a runner goes out of bounds, is held so his forward progress is stopped or allows any part of his person other than hand or foot to touch the ground.
EXCEPTIONS:
1. The ball remains live if, at the snap, a place-kick holder with his knee(s) on the ground and with a teammate in kicking position catches or recovers the snap while his knee(s) is on the ground and places the ball for a kick, or if he rises to advance, hand, kick or pass; or
2. The ball remains live if, at the snap, a place-kick holder with his knee(s) on the ground and with a teammate in kicking position rises and catches or recovers an errant snap and immediately returns his knee(s) to the ground and places the ball for a kick or again rises to advance, hand, kick or pass.
NOTE: The ball becomes dead if the place-kick holder muffs the snap or fumbles and recovers after his knees have been off the ground, and he then touches the ground with other than hand or foot while in possession of the ball.

See the case book pp 32-33,  Holder with knee on Ground.  4.2.2 Situations A, B, C.

Related rules:  2-24-7; 2-24-4. 

Rule 2 Definitions and Playing Terms
Section 24 Kicks

ART. 4 . . . A scrimmage kick is any kick from in or behind the neutral zone during a scrimmage down. Either a place kick, punt, or drop kick may be used. For a place kick, the ball must be controlled on the ground or on a legal kicking
tee by a teammate.

ART. 7 . . . A place kick is a legal kick made while the ball is in a fixed position on the ground or on a kicking tee. No material or device may be placed on the ground to improve the kicker’s footing. The ball also may be held in position on the ground or on a kicking tee by a place-kick holder who shall be a teammate of the kicker. A place kick may be used for a scrimmage kick, a kickoff, a free kick following a safety or for a free kick following a fair catch or awarded fair catch.