I was the linesman on this highschool JV game this evening:

A is winning 16 to 14 with 1:30 left in the game. A has the
ball 4th and 12 on A's 20. A(K) punts the ball (a very bad
high punt that goes about 5 yards beyond the nuetral zone).
R54 decides he wants to catch it out of the air on K's
25 (don't ask why). R54 muffs the punt so that it sends the
ball back behind the nuetral zone where K32 recovers on K's
16.

I aproached the referee and told him that kick crossed the
nuetral zone where it was muffed by R back behind the
nuetral zone where K recovered. I explained to him that I
thought K would then turn over the ball on downs. 1st and
10 R on K's 16 since it was my understanding that K would
only get a new set of downs if they recovered a muff by R
beyond the nuetral zone.

The Referee looked at me like I was crazy and flat out
told me I was wrong. He didn't buy it and gave K a 1st and 10 at their 16 where they promptly ran out the clock.

Well. If I couldn't sell it to my referee, how in the world
would I sell it to K's coach? Both coaches ended up being
satisfied with the ruling, but I'm a little unsettled,
because I think we got it wrong. (R had a good kicker who
could have won the game for them had they gotten the ball
that deep)

Let me know what you guys think ... thanks

Team R touched the ball beyond the NZ. That alone is all Team K needs to gain a 1st and 10 no matter where they eventually recover the kick.

Tom is correct. The only thing that changed by having the muff bounce back behind the LOS was that K could legally advance the muff.

Thanks guys ...
 

Just looked this one up, and you guys are right. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR YOUR response. I will ALWAYS get this play
right from now on. I'm glad I'm not a good salesman or
I could of ended up screwing this up.