Quote:
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Originally Posted by MJT
5-1-4 "Unless first touched by R beyond the neutral zone, if the kickers recover a scrimmage kick in or behind the neutral zone and the ball has not been touched first by R beyond the neutral zone, the ball remains live and belongs to K and the down counts."
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Took me a little while to figure this out but here's what I came up with. First, the wording of 5-1-4 was changed for this year. I don't see that the intent of the rule has changed and I'm not sure the wording cleared up any misunderstandings.
In the OP, we have first touching by K at K's 45. The ball then bounds back behind the LOS where it is picked up by K at K's 5 and advanced to K's 25. R can elect to take the ball at the spot of first touch, K's 45. First touching only applies to touches beyond the neutral zone so the touch by K at K's 5 is ignored.
Rule 5-1-4 applies to a new series of downs. Simply stated, if R is the first to touch the ball beyond the expanded neutral zone and it then bounds back behind the LOS and is recovered by K, K will be awarded a new series of downs. If the kick crosses the neutral zone and then bounds back behind the neutral zone and it was not touched by R the down will count. If K kicked on 4th down they will turn the ball over on downs. If they kicked on 3rd down they will be able to put it in play for 4th down.
Simple to remember, if R touches a scrimmage kick beyond the expanded neutral zone it will be a first down for whatever team gains possession of the ball.