NFHS Question need ruling. Thanks again

[zebra5150]

Ok guys here is another one. Please help. Thanks for all your help so far.....


K9’s punt is high and short. R4 moves up to try and catch it on the fly, signaling a fair catch as he does so. K4 inadvertently gets in R4’s way and he is unable to get to the punt, which strikes the ground beyond the neutral zone, and then rebounds behind it. K9 grabs the ball and begins to run. He is hit and fumbles, and R2 recovers and begins to advance, finally brought down on the K 26. During the play R4, the player who originally signaled for the fair catch, (a) pushed K3 in the back above the waist in an effort to get to the loose ball, or (b) grabbed K9’s facemask before K9 fumbled and R2 recovered, or (c) held K3 during R2’s advance.

[mikesears]

Originally posted by zebra5150
Ok guys here is another one. Please help. Thanks for all your help so far.....

This would be my thought process for this play.

K9’s punt is high and short. R4 moves up to try and catch it on the fly, signaling a fair catch as he does so. K4 inadvertently gets in R4’s way and he is unable to get to the punt...

If the signal was beyond the neutral zone, K4 fouls... kick catching interference. Flag at the spot of the interference.

which strikes the ground beyond the neutral zone,

We now have a grounded kick.

and then rebounds behind it.

Either team may now advance the ball if recovered here. If K reaches the line to gain, they will be awarded a new series.

K9 grabs the ball and begins to run.

Once K9 possesses the ball the status of the ball is no longer a kick.

He is hit and fumbles, and R2 recovers and begins to advance, finally brought down on the K 26.

Results of the play is R's ball at K's 26-yard line.

During the play R4, the player who originally signaled for the fair catch, (a) pushed K3 in the back above the waist in an effort to get to the loose ball

Legal. No foul. R has the option of taking the results of the play, 1st and 10 at K's-26, of taking an awarded fair catch at the spot of the kick catching interference and putting the ball in play with either a snap or a free kick field goal attempt, or of accepting the penalty for K's kick catching interference and replaying 4th down 15 yards behind the previous spot (wasn't stated where that was).

(b) grabbed K9’s facemask before K9 fumbled and R2 recovered

Double fouls. Replay down at previous spot. Neither team has options because this was not a PSK foul and neither team had "clean hands" when they possessed the ball.

or (c) held K3 during R2’s advance.

Options for R.
In order to keep the ball, R must decline K's foul for kick catching interference. R's foul for holding will be enforced under all but one. If they accept K's foul, it creates a double foul and the down is replayed.

[Edited by mikesears on Aug 16th, 2005 at 07:51 AM]