here's one I screwed up last week

[BigFarns]

K punting from their own 20. They kick the ball real high and the wind caught it. It lands about 5 yards past the LOS and bounces back behind it. No one is going to get it really it's almost stopped. K comes over and touches it to down it. I blow it dead.
Just then R runs over and grabs it and would be a TD no problem. 1st mistake K didn't control it so you don't blow it dead on first touching. 2nd mistake...the ball isn't past the LOS so it ain't first touching. K could have picked it up and ran same as if it was blocked. Right ?!? At least that's how I read it.
Any thoughts? Newbie mistake on my part and we sold it that the ball was in fact stopped and so touching it did down it...but I know it wasn't stopped. Luckily noone brought up the fact that it was behind the LOS.

[grantsrc]

You had an IW. The ball was still live and I think your heading down the right path with your thinking now.

Any time the ball comes back behind the LOS untouched by K beyond the LOS, they can advance the ball. Simply touching the ball anywhere on a kick doesn't kill the play. Like you said, if the ball is beyond the LOS, it is first-touching, if it is behind the LOS, ball is still live. Now if they simply touch the ball and it comes to rest with no one making an effort to get it, then it is dead. Keep in mind though that if K simply touches the ball downfield on a scrimmage kick, R can still advance it because the touching doesn't kill the ball.

Chalk it up as a learning experience. And you're right, at least no one made a big stink about it!

[Bob M.]

Originally Posted by grantsrc

... Simply touching the ball anywhere on a kick doesn't kill the play.

REPLY: I agree with Grant about the IW in this play, but just to clarify: In Federation, if a scrimmage kick has come to rest beyond the neutral zone, a simple touching of it by K does indeed cause it to become dead. (I know that Grant knew that.)

[grantsrc]

Originally Posted by Bob M.

REPLY: I agree with Grant about the IW in this play, but just to clarify: In Federation, if a scrimmage kick has come to rest beyond the neutral zone, a simple touching of it by K does indeed cause it to become dead. (I know that Grant knew that.)

Thanks Bob. Sometimes I forget the little things!