Kicking game questions

[ljudge]

Well boys I'm on the mend (surgery went well for those of you who read my earlier post). I'm studying rule 6 of the NCAA guide and would like for some NCAA answers.

Scrimmage kick rules. AR 6-3-1-V

Team A's punt from behind its own goal line crosses the NZ into the field of play. It then strikes a Team B player and rebounds behind Team A's goal line, where Team A recovers the ball and advances to the one-yard line.

Ruling: Safety - Ball dead where recovered.

I'm on board with that ruling knowing in NCAA that once a ball is recovered by K behind the NZ he can't advance it if it has first gone behind the NZ and came back. In Fed the ball would remain live and K could advance (and would have a 1st down whether or not he made the LTG).

My question:

What if the ball had struck the ground first and team R provided a new force? The question doesn't mention whether the ball struck the team B player in flight. Does it matter?

In Fed if it strikes the team B player in flight and team K recovers and the ball happens to become dead in the EZ it's definitely a safety. If it hits the ground first it's a first down for K if he recovers in his own EZ and it becomes dead there. It appears it doesn't matter for NCAA.

Can anyone help me clear up the confusion I'm having with this? And, if I made any incorrect Fed statements please say so.

Thanks,
LJ