The kicker controls three factors when he kicks the football, the velocity, the angle, and the rotation. The rotation of the ball, whether in a spiral or is an end-over-end, will be influenced on how the ball slows down while in flight because of air drag. If the ball were kicked with a spiral it will have less air drag. The spiraling kick will not slow down as much and will stay in the air longer and travel farther than an end-over-end kick. The speed of the ball and the angle of the kick are major factors that will determine:
(1) how long the ball will remain in the air, or hang-time
(2) how high the ball will travel
(3) how far the ball will travel
When the ball leaves the kicker's foot, it is traveling at a given velocity depending on how much force the kicker exerted on the ball. Since the ball was kicked at an angle, the velocity has two components, a horizontal and a vertical. Depending on the angle of the kick will tell you how fast the ball goes in the horizontal and vertical directions. If the kicker kicks the ball at a steep angle, then the ball will have more veloctiy in the vertical direction than the horizontal direction. The ball will go high, hang-time will be longer, but will travel a short distance. This is great for a punter because it will give his team enough time to get downfield to make the play. If the kicker kicks the ball at a shallow angle, then the ball will have more velocity in the horizontal direction than the vertical direction. The ball will not go very high, hang-time will be shorter, but it will travel a greater distance. This is ideal for a kick off or a field goal.
