First touching

watsonhb · #1 (**permalink**) Mon Mar 05, 2001, 08:29am

K kicks an onside kick which is touched by K1 before going 10 yards. The ball continues to travel downfield and is recovered by R1 at R's 35. What is the proper procedure for marking the first touching? Should it be marked with a bean bag and treated as a mere first touching or should it be marked with a flag and considered as a foul giving R the options of taking the ball at first touching, taking the ball at R's 35 or having K re-kick after a 5 yard penalty?

Theisey · #2 (**permalink**) Mon Mar 05, 2001, 10:02am

There is no free kick infraction on this play, so there should not be any flag.
Mark the spot with the bean bag. Given your play senario, Team R would most probably want the ball at that spot.

Schmidt MJ · #3 (**permalink**) Mon Mar 05, 2001, 01:48pm

Gotta agree with Thiesey on this one. There is a difference between first touching and illegal touching. Although first touching is not illegal, it does provide the receiving team with an option, provided they did not foul after touching the ball themselves. The only time touching is illegal is when an offensive lineman is the first to touch a pass behind the LOS.