Eli5 “why is it that kickers can make kickoffs from the opponents 25 yd line but miss a 40 yd kick field goal on their own end zone”
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The defense.
A field goal has to be kicked at a pretty high upward angle to make it over the outstretched hands of the defenders trying to block it, so much of its energy is lost going upward rather than forward. A kickoff, by contrast, is launched at a much lower angle.
Also, on a field goal, the kicker has a very short amount of time to run up and kick the ball. If he takes too long, it gets blocked. So he only has enough time for one or two steps of run-up. On a kickoff, he can get a ten-yard running start to add more force to the kick.
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