Team K punts the ball and their missle streaks down the field, grabs the ball at the 1 yard line, gets full control with both feet in the field of play and then falls backwards into the EZ. Touchback or 1 and 10 at the 1 for Team R?

NFHS

The key words you used are: gets full control...at the 1. It doesn't matter where his feet are as long as the ball does not cross the plane of the goal line until after he gets full control. 1st and 10 from the 1.

I agree, the key words are full control, because then the act of gaining control causes the ball to become dead there. Nothing after the ball is dead matters. This is a big difference from what fans see on Sunday, I don't know about NCAA, but if a K player is laying with his waist on the goal line so his legs are full in the end zone, and he stops a ball rolling towards the goal line at the 1/2 yard line and secures possession there, it is 1st and 10 from the 1/2 yard line.

I agree. 1st and 10 from the 1yd line.

I think you guys are putting too much thought into this one.First touching is at the 1. First and ten at the 1!

Jimy is correct. Touching always proceeds posession. 1/10 at the one.

I thought that was what this board was all about :)

[Edit: [overthinking]Yes, it is first touching at the same spot the kick ended. but the key to the first post was the ball was in player possession, by the kicking team, prior to going into the end zone. If there is first touching at the 1 yard line and then the ball crosses the goal line, R will take a touchback over mere first touching every time. Possession by K prior to crossing the goal line is what kills the play and leaves R with no options[/overthinking]]

[Edited by BulldogMcC on Sep 14th, 2005 at 12:29 PM]

Should have said "precedes" not "proceeds." Sorry.

Good. We got that one right last Friday night. Thanks for the reassurance fellas.

First touching is one spot you need to know on this play but there is another. You need to know where the kick ended. If first touching was at the 1 and the kick ended at the 1/2 then your spot is at the 1. However if first touching happened at the 1 and the kick ended in the endzone it is a touchback and the ball is at the 20. Possession does not occur until the ball is controlled and the player touches the ground.