NF: KCI or not?
 

Punt returner is in position to catch a punt and muffs the ball slightly (he basically bobbles it slightly well within his arm's reach but if left alone would almost certainly make the catch).

I know that in NCAA, 6-4-1-c gives the receiver an opportunity to complete the catch as contact simultaneously with the ball is a foul (along with the "when in question" statement to back us up on close ones)

but in Fed, is the KCI restriction off the exact second the team R receiver touches the ball?

thanks

I think you're referring to if there is a fair catch signal? For NCAA when there is no signal given, they have the following Approved Ruling...

A player of Team B, attempting to catch a kick (no fair catch signal),
muffs the ball that is then touched by an opponent who was not
interfering with the opportunity of the receiver when he was in
position to make the catch. RULING: Not interference. Protection
against interference with the opportunity to catch a kick ends when
any player of Team B muffs the ball.

For a fair catch...

B10 signals for a fair catch, muffs the ball and then catches it.
RULING: If B10 has an opportunity to catch the kick after the muff,
he must be given an unimpeded opportunity to complete the catch. If
B10 catches the muffed kick, the ball is dead where first touched by
B10.

What about for NF?

NF

6-5-6 While any free kick is in flight in or beyond the neutral zone to the receiver’s goal line or any scrimmage kick is in flight beyond the neutral zone to the receiver’s goal line, K shall not
a. Touch the ball or R, unless blocked into the ball or R or to ward off a blocker, or;
b. Obstruct R’s path to the ball.
This prohibition applies even when no fair-catch signal is given, but it does not apply after a free kick has been touched by a receiver, or after a scrimmage kick has been touched by a receiver who was clearly beyond the neutral zone at the time of touching.

6.5.6 SITUATION E: While K1’s punt is in flight beyond the neutral zone, R2 (a) gives a valid fair catch signal, or (b) does not give a signal. The ball strikes R2 on the shoulder and bounces high into the air. While the loose ball is still airborne, K4 pushes R2 in the chest and K4 catches the ball at that spot. RULING: In both cases, the ball is dead when K4 catches it. There is no foul for kick-catching interference since R2’s protection ended when the kick was muffed.

Once R muffs it K can catch it.

I really like the NF rule here better. If you want protection, you had better catch it clean. If you muff it, it is fair game.