Recovering of a Scrimmage

[sorrydog]

Had a scrimmage kick that went straight up and caught behind the line by the kicking team. Never crossed the neutral zone. Question: Can he run the ball OR, does the receiving team have to had muffed it? Is it considered first touching or what? Case book only gives example of receiving team muffing the ball beyond neutral zone and back behind the LOS. My understanding is that either team can recovering a punt behind the neutral zone and return it. Guess the real question is for K to return it, it must first be touched by the receiving (or muffed) team?