Punted Football

[DREDger]

Yesterday I took a tour of the new Dallas Cowboy stadium and it is an engineering marvel.  Above the field is a mammoth 4 sided scoreboard/screen, the bottom of which is 90 feet off the playing field.  (Its length extends from 20 yard line to 20 yard line)

There is debate as to whether that is too low and may be hit by punts.  I’ve read that the average hang time for an NFL punt is 4.6 seconds.  To calculate the height I used the following reasoning, does this seem sound?

Discounting aerodynamics, a punted football will follow a parabolic arc, with exactly half it’s time traveling upwards, and the other half downward.  That’s 2.3 seconds going up and 2.3 seconds going down.

Using the formula y= (0.5)(32.2 ft/s sq)(time squared).  I calculate the average height based on average hang time is 85.2 feet.  A hang time of 4.73 seconds and above translates to 90 feet and higher height.

Does this seem correct?

[APDrone]

Just off hand, I don't think you can split the hang time in half.   I'm pretty sure the initial speed of the punted ball would be over its terminal velocity.. i.e... it's going a lot faster when it leaves the foot than it is when it gets to the receiver.

I would think that one of the stats these guys keep would be the altitude of punts.

90 feet does seem low.

[FiLtH]

   I can spit higher than that.

[Hoarach]

Also figure it depends how the ball is kicked.  Some punters would kick higher if its a shorter yard length they have to go such as if they wanted a 30-40 yard punt.  If the ball is kicked for height and hang time then that 90 feet might be a little low.  For distance, however, I dont see it hitting that high.  The Cowboys do have a hell of a punter so who knows with him.   

[DMBEAR]