Scrimmage kick play
 

Federation Rules

Fourth and 10 at A's 35 yardline. K15 punts and R33 and R45 both signal for a fair catch. The ball bounces off R33's shoulder pads at R's 40 yardline but never touches the ground. R45 is attempting to catch the muffed kick at the 35 yardline. Before he can catch it, R45 is tackled by K55. K75 recovers the ball at R's 25.

I could use some help on the ruling for this play. Thanks.

By rule, the defense can "push, pull or ward off an opponent in an actual attempt to get at the runner or a loose ball if such contact is not pass interference, a personal foul or illegal use of hands."

Tackling the offensive player would constitute IUHands, so we have a foul on K during a loose ball play. Enforce 10 yards from PS and repeat 4th down, if accepted (which it will be) or K will have the ball 1-10 at R's 25.

We do not have KCI cuz the K can legally contact any R player afterthe ball was touched by a receiver beyond the NZ.

6-5.-2- Situation A covers a player (R1) who has made a fair catch signal and then muffed the ball and K2 contacts him. "The contact on R1 by K2 is legal because K may retain possesion following the muff by R1." so R 45 is not protected by his fair catch signal after the muff.



6-5-6 This prohibition (K shall not touch R) does not apply after a free kick has been touched by a receiver so R 45 does not have any kick catching protection.

Therefore the contact by K55 is legal.

without looking
 

without looking at the rules I am more inclined to go with MJT on this one. While K can legally touch R in the situation, I believe that tackling R 45 is illegal use of hands IE holding, preventing them from getting to the ball. Had K just come down and knocked him over, I am ok with it. Similar to a receiver in the backfield..you can knock em down but you can't drag em down...

I think MJT answer is correct if the receiver R45 is waiting for the ball to come down to the point he can catch it.

Once R45 has touched the ball, then he can be contacted/tackled as the play states. Then JimD would be correct.

Let me clarify, once the ball touches R33, R45 can be legally contacted. He no longer has any protection from his fair catch signal nor does he have protection from his being in position to catch a kick. That was what I thought the question was aimed at and the point I was going for.

As always, any contact with an opponent must be legal. It can't be holding or unecessary roughness, etc. If the tackle is just as R45's is trying to catch the ball, this would most likely be legal. If it's well ahead of a possible catch, you could rule that K was holding R. This would be judgement call.