Quote:
Originally posted by Warrenkicker
6.2.6 SITUATION: What is the reason for having an expanded neutral zone during scrimmage kicks and how does it affect the touching of a low kick in that area? RULING: The purpose of expanding the neutral zone during a scrimmage kick is to permit normal line play. The neutral zone is expanded up to a maximum of 2 yards behind the defensive line of scrimmage (beyond the neutral zone) to allow offensive linemen to block and drive defensive linemen off the line of scrimmage. Low scrimmage kicks may touch or be touched by players of K or R, and such touching is ignored if the kick has not been beyond the expanded neutral zone. The zone disintegrates immediately when the kick has crossed the expanded zone or when the trajectory is such that it cannot be touched until it comes down. Once the zone disintegrates, touching of the kick by K in flight beyond the neutral zone is kick-catching interference if no R player is in position to catch the ball. If touched by R beyond the neutral zone, it establishes a new series. (2-27-2; 5-1-2f; 6-5-6)
Based on the original play, the ENZ had disintegrated so the touching by R is not ignored if it did not occur in the neutral zone. K may recover and retain possession 1-10.
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There is no 5-1-2f. They must mean 5-1-3f, another Fed typo. Here's what the Handbook says:
Effect of Touching by a Receiver
During a scrimmage kick, any touching of a low kick by either team in or behind the expanded nexutral zone, is ignored as far as the right to recover or advance is concerned. When R is the first to touch a scrimmage kick beyond the ENZ, the act has the following effect.
1. K may recover and retain possession
2 - 9 talks about penalties, double fouls, forward pass infractions, first touching, etc.
It also talks about some Basic Principles, one of which is K can catch or recover a kick in or behind the neutral zone and advance. Also, the kickers can recover a kick beyond the NZ if it has been touched by R, but cannot advance.
Your quote of the casebook is accurate so it seems to me that there is a bit of a black hole both on the field and in the book and I say this because I'm not seeing where they say the neutral zone disintegrates once the ball passes over it out of the three rules they cited. The Handbook seems to support 5-1-3f and 5-1-4 but I don't see where the zone disintegrates based on the three rules cited in the Casebook.