Punt question

[Hampton Roads 6]

the punting team fields a punt on the bounce and player starts running with ball. He is tackled by return team. what's the call ? whose ball is it ?

 

[White hat]

Depends on several factors. Maybe this clarifies why more things can go wrong -- both playing and officiating -- in the kicking game than any other area.

1. Recovered by kickers beyond the line of scrimmage, untouched by receivers, it's receivers ball at spot where possession was gained (where the kick ended).

2. The loose ball was touched by receivers beyond the line of scrimmage, it's kickers ball at spot where the kick ended.

3. Kickers recover behind the line of scrimmage and the ball was untouched by receivers beyond the line of scrimmage, or never made it beyond the line, kickers are allowed to advance, but must still make the line to gain or it's turned over on downs.

4. Kickers recover behind the line of scrimmage but the ball was touched by receivers beyond the line of scrimmage (the ball would have to carom backward or bounce funny after the touch, which I've seen happen) then it's the kickers ball where the play ends on the tackle.


And to add to it:

5. Touching behind the line of scrimmage by the receivers is ignored.

6. Touching up to 2 yards beyond the line of scrimmage is ignored if the kick is low and the touch is an effort to block the kick.


This post was edited on 9/6 2:54 PM by White hat

 

[UJoking]

A quick question on point 1. On the punt the ball is touched by the kicking team beyond the line of scrimmage. The receiving team then picks it up and starts to return it. They fumble the ball, the kicking team recovers the ball. Can the receiving team then ask for the ball at point of first touch by the kicking team prior to the fumble? is it the receiving teams ball at that point of first touch?

 

[White hat]

Yes, provided they do not foul. If the kicking team is first to touch a kicked ball beyond the neutral zone it is called the spot of first touching. No matter what happens, the receiving team always has the option of taking the ball at that spot, unless they foul and then all bets are off.

 

[ed r forshey]

I saw this very type of play during week 2 in WV.

We punted,
touched the ball about 30 yards down field,
but never killed the kick by picking it up,
Team B picked it up and ran about 60 yards to the 5,
fumbled and we returned it out to about the 40.

Team B and refs knowing the rule of 1st touch took the ball at the point of 1st touch.

Several people around me went ape crap, but I told them it would be teams B ball at 1st touch point, cause we were to stupid to kill the kick.