[HawkeyeCubP]

I'm curious if anyone has rule citations available for HS, NCAA, and NFL here.

My questions arise out of the apparent contradiction of 6.1.5A and the following sentence in 6-1-5.

NFHS 6-1-5 "...Any K player may recover a free kick if it has both touched the ground and goes beyond the plane of R's free kick line. The two requirements may occur in any order...."

NFHS 6.1.5A "A kickoff by K1 from K's 40 is muffed by R1 near his 20-yard line. The muff is caught by K2 at the 18 and he advances into R's end zone. RULING: It will be K's ball first and 10 from R's 18. K2 may catch or recover the muffed kick, but may not advance. The ball is dead when K gains possession..."
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In the case play, the ball never touched the ground.
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"NCAA Rule 6-1 Free Kick Recovery
ARTICLE 3. A Team A player may touch a free-kicked ball:
a. After it touches a Team B player (Exception: Rule 6-1-4).
b. After it breaks the plane of and remains beyond Team B's restraining line (Exception: Rule 6-4-1) ( A.R. 2-11-2-I).
c. After it touches any player, the ground, an official or anything beyond Team B's restraining line.
Thereafter, all players of Team A become eligible to touch, recover or catch the kick."

Does this read as though the word "or" is after a. and b.? If so, then it doesn't appear that the ball must touch the ground in NCAA rules.

Any help is appreciated.