This happened this afternoon, opening kickoff of a junior high game:

K1 kicks off. R1 fields the ball at his own 5 and starts running. K2 grabs R1's face mask on the tackle. R1 fumbles. K3 picks it up and runs into the end zone.

Our referee gave R the ball and marked off the face mask penalty, first down and away we go. No one complained.

Was that right?

And now that I sit here and think about it, can K even advance a fumble like that?

Sorry to sound dumb - I've done four games in five days and my legs and brain are fried.

R can accept the penalty and have the ball first and 10 either 5 yards or 15 yards from the spot of the foul. (If the facemask occurred during the fumble/loose ball then it would be 5 or 15 from the end of the run which you bean bagged.)

The 5 or 15 yards is dependent on the severity of the facemask.

If you had no fumble K could recover the kick off and advance it.

You are probably thinking of a muff on a kick that can not be advanced.

NFHS, NCAA, NFL:
1. The penalty (5 or 15yds) is enfored from the end of the related run, the spot of R's fumble.
2. Yes, K may advance the ball because its a fumble. K may not advance kicks.

Hope that helps

I agree with the above! :)

If it smells like a kick...
 

A kick is a kick, is a kick, until the ball is possessed by R. At that instant the kick play is over, now you have a running play. If R fumbles, then it is wide open.

Thought so. Thanks. We were confident in the call, and talked it over at the half, but it's good to have it re-confirmed here.

I believe this is misworded. K could recover and advance a fumble on a kick. Once R secures possession the kick has ended.

(NF) Any player on either team can catch or recover any fumble and advance it.

Team-K players can NEVER advance a ball whose status is still a kick. As noted, the the status of a kicked ball remains a kick until team-R has secured possession or blown dead. If team-K does secure possession of a kicked ball, it's dead at that point.

Careful about that word "never"...
 

The original situation is a free kick, for which your statement is true. Scrimmage kicks are another animal - if recovered beyond the NZ, your statement is still correct.

Scrimmage kicks recovered by K in or behind the NZ may be advanced (e.g. blocked punt).