Punt Formation

[Warrenkicker]

There are a few reasons we need to know where the ball is relative to lines.

Fair catch
6-5-2 It is a fair catch and the ball is dead if any receiver gives a valid fair-catch signal, as in Article 1, and he catches a free-kick in or beyond the neutral zone to R’s goal line, or a scrimmage kick beyond the neutral zone to R’s goal line.

K gaining possession of a scrimmage kick and advancing
6-2-3 Any K player may catch or recover a scrimmage kick while it is in or behind the neutral zone and advance, unless it is during a try.

PSK fouls
2-16-2h2 During a scrimmage kick play in which the ball crosses the expanded neutral zone.

Touching of low scrimmage kicks
6-2-6 The touching of a low scrimmage kick by any player is ignored if the touching is in or behind the expanded neutral zone. The neutral zone shall not be expanded into the end zone.

K gaining possession of a scrimmage kick anywhere
6-2-4 Any K player may catch or recover a scrimmage kick while it is beyond the neutral zone or the neutral zone expanded, provided such kick has been touched by a receiver who was clearly beyond the neutral zone at the time of touching. Such touching is ignored if it is caused by K pushing or blocking R into contact with the ball or it is caused by K legally batting or muffing the ball into R. Such catch or recovery by K beyond the neutral zone causes the ball to become dead. (See 6-5-6 Exception)

So there are a lot of reasons to keep someone on the sideline at the line-of-scrimmage who can watch where the ball goes and who touches it.