Watching Newark HS get shut out last night by Pickerington North I saw the Wildcats attempt zero punts. Instead, Newark would bring their place kicker and holder out on fourth downs, the majority of which were within Newark's own 30-yard line. Had no idea this was allowed. Can anyone please explain (be nice BillytheCat - I readily admit my lack on knowledge on this rule).

Yes, but doesn't the defense take over from the original line of scrimmage after a missed FG? That's what I thought. Instead, Pick North took over where the ball went out of bounds or where it stopped rolling or where it's returner was tackled.

Again, something new for me.

Hmm, that was the old rule, but it was changed perhaps 20 years ago in college. Maybe it hasn't been changed in Ohio at the High School level?

I remember reading a article in Sports Illustrated back in the late 60's that told that Hillsdale College would do the same thing when Jan Stenerud played there as he could kick the ball higher and farther then anyone who punted on the team.
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If I remember correctly, they kicked the ball out of bounds every time.

If true, that's nuts. Why would a rule like this be up to the discretion of the umpiring crew? Can't change the rules from game to game.

That is NOT even remotely true!

A field goal is a scrimmage kick, a punt is a scrimmage kick, the only difference is the use of the holder and the ability to score points. All other rules and regulations apply. All scrimmage kicks are treated the exact same once the ball crosses the expanded neutral zone.

This is an exert from a 2012 case book, this rule has not changed. And the rules from which this comes are notated at the bottom of the case study. In edition if K covering the kick downs the ball, or commits first touching, that is treated exactly as a punt, meaning that "if the ball was downed" R would take possession at the spot of the dead ball. If first touching then R would have the choice to take the ball at the spot of first touching or the result of the play when the ball became downed.

KICKS INTO R’S END ZONE – TOUCHBACK
*6.3.1 SITUATION A: A scrimmage kick by K1 comes to rest on R’s 6-yard line.
R1 attempts to recover and advance, but muffs the ball so that it rolls into the end
zone where: (a) R2 downs the ball; or (b) R3 recovers and advances out of the
end zone; or (c) K2 recovers and downs the ball in the end zone. RULING: The
ball became dead as soon as it broke the plane of R’s goal line. It is a touchback
in (a), (b) and (c). The kick had not ended because muffing does not constitute
possession, therefore, it is a kick into R’s end zone which is an automatic touchback.
The covering official should sound the whistle immediately when the ball
becomes dead as a result of breaking the goal-line plane. Force is not a factor on
kicks going into R’s end zone. R will put the ball in play, first and 10, from their
20-yard line. (2-24-2; 8-5-3a)

Spot on with the rule of the scrimmage kick.

With the free kick off a fair catch (or awarded fair catch), you line up with a tee, no holder, just like a Kick-off, and the RT team lines up at the restraining line 10 yards from the spot of the ball. If the ball goes through the up rights its 3 points.

I bet a lot of people were refreshed on how some of these rules work after the Iron Bowl a few years ago.

Are there any other games anyone on here is familiar with that ended on a "kick-six?"

I thought it sounded strange, but it was coming from a high school coach. I asked him a second and third time, but he stood by his first explanation.

But if you are back to return it and get tackled at the 4 is it a safety?

It basically only makes sense in college to try to return a missed field goal at the end of a half because in college, the ball comes back to the line of scrimmage, so the odds aren't very good that you'll return it beyond there. But in high school, it always makes sense to return a missed field goal if you can.

That block did not effect the play, so that will not be called 99.9% of the time in the college game. If its not impact full on the play,it's not being called, and that block was 5-10 yards behind.