Is a football punt supposed to spiral?

Answer 1

The punter has a choice of what kind of punt they will employ. The most common type, the drop punt, sends the ball end over end and is both easy to kick and accurate. The spiral punt sends the ball in a spiral, making it more aerodynamic. The ball travels further, but is harder to do and much less accurate; not to mention the fact that it makes it easier for the return man to catch. The third type of punt is the soccer-style punt, which is essentially a drop punt but instead of straight-forward, the punter is running at an angle to his kicking foot side and kicks the ball across his body. I punt myself, and I really use all 3 different types of punts for different situations. If I'm at my own 20, i will spiral punt for distance. If I'm at my opponents 30, I will drop punt for accuracy. Finally, if I'm rushed and forced to leave the pocket, I will do soccer style just to get a punt off at all.