When does the clock start? (NF)

[Patton]

Originally posted by Jaysef
Sorry, I still don't understand why K's recovery of a muffed punt awards them a new series 1 and 10? Ball never changed possession, and the recovery was not in advance of line to gain?

Rule 5-1-3...When a scrimmage down ends with the ball in the field of play or out of bounds between the goal lines, a new series is awarded to: (f) The team in possession at the end of the down, if R is the first to touch a scrimmage kick while it is beyond the expanded neutral zone, unless the penalty is accepted for a non post-scrimmage kick foul which occurred before the kick ended.

Am I missing the forest for the trees? Yes.

If K is giving up their right to the ball (punt), and they get it back off R's muff, is not the only way they retain possession if they make that original line to gain? No.