Another potential Illegal Participation play

[The Roamin' Umpire]

NFHS Rules (though I'd be curious to see NCAA as well):

PLAY: K 4/10 @ R-35. Punt formation, with player K99 lined up about 2 yards from the sideline. At the snap, K99 dodges around his defender by going OOB. He runs up the sideline (OOB the whole way), while the kick is made cleanly, hits near the sideline around the R-10 and bounces towards the end zone. K99 beats the ball there and is standing OOB at the R-1 when he bats the ball.

I believe this is a legal play. I believe it probably SHOULDN'T be, but I can't think of a reason why we'd have a flag. Thoughts?

[jhumm]

9-6-2
During the down, no player shall intentionally go out of bounds and return.

Illegal Participation. Sounds like he went out intentionally to me.

[JasonTX]

Originally Posted by jhumm

9-6-2
During the down, no player shall intentionally go out of bounds and return.

Illegal Participation. Sounds like he went out intentionally to me.

He never returned. All this action was while he was OOB.

[nvfoa15]

jhumm,

The OP states that K99 goes OOB intentionally but does NOT return. Instead he stays OOB and touches the kick at the R-1 yard line. K99, being OOB, causes the ball to be OOB by his action. Rule 9-6-2 states that it is IP to intentionally go OOB AND RETURN. K99 did not return - looks like a loophole to me.

[With_Two_Flakes]

NCAA

Rule 6-3-12
No Team A player who goes out of bounds during a scrimmage kick down may return inbounds during the down (Exception: This does not apply to a Team A player who is blocked out of bounds and attempts to return inbounds immediately).
PENALTY -
Live-ball foul. Five yards from the previous spot [S19].

[nvfoa15]

Again, K99 did not return inbounds...

[With_Two_Flakes]

Originally Posted by nvfoa15

Again, K99 did not return inbounds...

D'Oh!
My bad - I need to take my time and read these things twice before I answer

This question gets nastier and nastier the more I think about it. Under NCAA rules, K99 hasn't even illegally touched it as he isn't inbounds.

Rule 6-3-2-a
No inbounds player of the kicking team shall touch a scrimmage kick that has crossed the neutral zone before it touches an opponent. Such illegal touching is a violation that, when the ball becomes dead, gives the receiving team the privilege of taking the ball at the spot of the violation.

The only thing I could think of (and it's a real stretch) would be

Rule 3-5-2-d
Substitutes who become players must remain in the game for one play....

although I'm sure the spirit of that Rule was not meant to cover such situations as this.

[jhumm]

Great play. Should have read it closer. Sorry for the obvious answer. I can't think of anything specific in the NFHS rule book, but it does seem like an illegal play.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by The Roamin' Umpire

PLAY: K 4/10 @ R-35. Punt formation, with player K99 lined up about 2 yards from the sideline. At the snap, K99 dodges around his defender by going OOB. He runs up the sideline (OOB the whole way), while the kick is made cleanly, hits near the sideline around the R-10 and bounces towards the end zone. K99 beats the ball there and is standing OOB at the R-1 when he bats the ball.

I believe this is a legal play. I believe it probably SHOULDN'T be, but I can't think of a reason why we'd have a flag. Thoughts?

CANADIAN RULING:

The Canadian ruling may be slightly more clear than the US text as it says "...may not further participate in that play...", meaning there is no restriction on where that player is standing for a flag to be warranted.

Penalty is 10 yards: B 1D/10 @ B-11.

If B wishes to restrict A's return, there are other ways to do it that if also violate rules, are only penalized by 5 yards, and don't require the accuracy and luck found in the OP's kick.