Fair Catch

[runningwild]

During a punt, the ball hits the ground and bounces pretty high, my corner raises his hand for a fair catch...then runs with the ball, is this legal? I was under the impression that the post scrimmage kick stopped when the ball crossed the scrimmage line or hit the ground??? We did it last week with no call!! The official didn’t no one way or another?

[Bob Mc]

If he gave the signal prior to cataching and prior to the ball hitting the ground you have a valid fair catch signal, if the signal was after the ball hit the ground then what you have is an invalid fair catch signal as the kick has touched the ground. In either instance, the ball is dead when he recovers see rule 6.5.5.

[Simbio]

Bob Mc is right.....I'd also like to add that any fair catch signal, whether valid or not, no matter who on R calls it, whether it has hit the ground or not, the ball becomes dead once it is possessed.....

[Ed Hickland]

Originally posted by runningwild
... I was under the impression that the post scrimmage kick stopped when the ball crossed the scrimmage line or hit the ground??? We did it last week with no call!! The official didn’t no one way or another?

Post scrimmage kick enforcement begins when the ball crosses the neutral zone.

In your play an illegal or invalid fair catch would be penalized from the end of the kick under PSK rules.

I had to be there to accurately answer your question and my colleagues on the board will no doubt not comment on a play and the action of an official without knowledge of the situation.

[Theisey]

Originally posted by runningwild
.. I was under the impression that the post scrimmage kick stopped when the ball crossed the scrimmage line or hit the ground???

PSK ends when the KICK ends. Kicks don't end until blown dead by rule or have been caught/recovered.

[AndrewMcCarthy]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Ed Hickland

Post scrimmage kick enforcement begins when the ball crosses the neutral zone.

They changed it this year- it now begins with the snap.

[ABoselli]

The "window" starts with the snap but the ball has to cross the ENZ for there to be PSK enforcement, along with all the other provisos.

[Ed Hickland]

And, the foul must be beyond the neutral zone.

[SJoldguy]

In response to Simbio:

The ball almost always becomes dead when possession is made.
There is one exception, if K gets possession behind the line of scrimmage the ball remains alive and they can advance. And then a lot of things can happen during that advance including fumble, R recovery and advance even tho they have previously given valid fair catch signal!