Scrimmage Kick
 

K is on their own 10 yard line. It's 4th and 5 and they choose to punt. The punt goes up high and short. It is muffed by R on the 20 and recovered by K on K's 13 yard line (2 yards short of the first down). Whose ball is it?

FUNDAMENTAL STATMENT: If R is first to touch a scrimmage kick beyond the expanded neutral zone, if will be a 1st down for the team in possession when the down ends.

Long story short - 1st and 10 for the kickers where they recover the kick.

Canadian Ruling
 

CANADIAN RULING:

R's muff has no impact on our game. K still needs to gain yards. Result: R 1D/10 @ K-13.

Sidenote: we have a rule that says if the punt is short and coming down into a group of players (> 3), we are to blow it dead and R gets the ball at point the ball first hits the ground.

Interesting! When you informed me they'd eliminated the kick clause from the continuity-of-downs provision, I'd assumed they'd make an exception for the case where R touched the ball beyond the LOS.

What if R1 batted the ball from where it came down to a teammate as an onside pass attempt and K recovered, still without yards gained?

Robert

Oh sure, come up with a dandy why don't ya? :D Possession is something that I think can be misinterpreted incorrectly up here. If R1 bats the ball backwards, in a purposeful act, I think possession is established, and therefore the continuity of downs is broken. If R1 causes the ball to go backwards as a result of being a klutz and K recovers, yards still need to be gained. I believe that intent is the key.

Scrimmage Kick
 

Where are you quoting from?

I nerver said that this was a word for word quote. I was paraphrasing.

2007 NFHS Rules, Page 79, II. DOWNS, 3.

"If R is first to touch a scrimmage kick beyond the neutral zone, a new series will be awarded the team in possession at the end of the down, unless there was a foul before the kick and the penalty was accepted, or there was a double foul or there was an inadvertant whistle during the kick following the touching by R."

There are 49 Fundamental Statements listed on page 79 and 80 of the rule book. Knowing these and being able to apply them to a play situation will keep you out of a lot of trouble.