4/10 from A-20. A1 takes the snap. B99 breaks directly through the line and grabs A1 as he is stepping to make his kick. As A1 is going down, he intentionally strikes the ball with his knee and it travels to the A-24. B56, unaware of the ball, accidentally kicks the ball back to the A-19. A2 recovers the ball at the A-21. Results?

(As is often said, don't forget the clock)....

The ball passed the neutral zone, B's touching made it a live ball (K able to recover it and maintain possession), even if it rolled back behind the neutral zone. I have K's ball, first and 10 on the 21, clock on the ready.



[Edited by FredFan7 on Feb 23rd, 2004 at 02:30 PM]

Tricky play and after some thought and a few re-reads I will agree 1st and 10 for A at their 21.

It is perfectly legal to strike the ball with the knee, lower leg or foot. Which means there was a legal kick. B56's muff although not intentional occurs past the neutral zone. The fact that the ball rolls behind the line of scrimmage is immaterial because B56 touched the ball beyond the neutral zone expanded (6-2-4). Any subsequent action the ball can be recovered by any memeber of either team.

If this happened in a game there would have to be a conference. The U or maybe a wingman would have to confirm the ball touched B56 past the neutral zone expanded. And, the referee would have to confirm the kick was legal and not a bat -- if the kicker had struck the ball above the knee that would be illegal. Lastly, did A2 advance the ball -- he can recover but not advance.

The clock? Starts on the snap because A was awarded a new series followng a legal kick (3-4-3c).

I've been taught by our association (in Illinois) that if K gets the ball back after an R muff, the clock is wound on the ready.

It is a tough play. Hard to give the ball back to the kicking team after a bit of a cheap, lucky punt. But, after reading the rules, I agree the ball goes back to the kicking team.

Rule 3-4-3c is plain in its language. The reason for the rule was referees were inconsistent in readying the ball following kicks because players were going on and off and referees were delaying the ready while the transistion occurred.