We had a punt in our HS game last week where R player signaled fair catch at the 10 yard line but did not attempt to field the punt which was then caught in the air by K player at the 1 yard line who then stumbled into the end zone. This was ruled a downed punt at the 1. Is this correct?

NCAA - 6-3-6a: If a player of the kicking team catches or recovers a scrimmage kick that has crossed the neutral zone, the ball becomes dead.

Once the ball is dead, the fact that he then travelled into the endzone is inconsequential.

(Much different from the NFL, obviously).

This sounds correct. Since momentum does not apply to K and it sounds like you didn't have any Kick Catching Interference. But not sure.

<b> WHOA...that was weird. That previous post should have been under another topic...hmmmm</b>

This sounds correct. You didn't mention any kick catching interference and momentum doesn't apply here.

The ball would be dead at the spot of the catch, thus downed at the 1 yard line (assuming it didn't break the plane of the goal line), correct.

The ball (on a kick)is always dead when posessed by K because they can never advance a kick beyond the neutral zone (whether they are entitled to keep it or not). Only in or behind the neutral zone could K possess the ball and also advance it.

The other thing to keep in mind would be the possibility kick-catching interference (although it doesn't sound like there was an R player trying to field this kick).

Thanks very much. I was not sure if the K player had to keep himself under control as well as the ball. The R player merely made the signal then backed away.

One corollary question:
What would happen if the K player caught the ball at the 1 yd line while in the air as a result of a leap from the 2 yd line and then landed in the end zone?

NCAA - a player "gains possession" when he is firmly holding or controlling the ball while contacting the ground inbounds.

So your second scenario is a touchback.

p. 45 Table 6-4 NOTE: K is in team possession during a kick. A kick ends when a player gains possession or when the ball becomes dead by rule.

K catches the ball in the field of play, but doesn't gain possession until his first point of contact with the ground, which is the EZ. Therefore, I would call it a touchback. Please help me to clarify if i am wrong.

K didn’t actually make a “catch”. What he did is considered a “first touch”. R could chose the spot of first touching at the R-1 (we won’t let him do that) or take the result of the play which would be a TB.

You are correct, he does not complete the catch/recovery until he touches the ground. If he jumps from the 2, possesses the ball while it's at the 1 and then touches the ground after the ball has crossed the plane of the GL, this is a touchback (described in Casebook play 2.4.1G). As already mentioned, you do have first touching, but R will take the ball at the 20.

And you will NOT explain the first touching to the captains, coaches, or anyone else. Signal a touchback and go to the 20.

Rich

I guess I should have specifically said that. "R will take the ball at the 20" means "we will not give them the options, we will put the ball at the 20 and go from there."

THANKS!!!

The points you guys bring up really help me focus on the thought process of an effective official. When I looked it up, I was able to distinguish between first touching and a catch. Before, there was no difference to me, but now I have learned another important point: First touching is defined differently than a catch. Result? I go on the field a better official. Keep posting...I'm reading and learning