Punter's Protection Question
 

Our recent chapter meeting had quite a diverse opinion on the protection of the punter when I brought up a recent scenario. I would appreciate comments from those of you that can help clear this up. I am in Texas and officiate according to NCAA rules with UIL exceptions. Here's the situation:

A typical obvious punting situation and punt formation (punter back at least 7 yards). The punter receives the snap and just as he releases the ball towards his foot (and before he contacts the ball with his foot) he is hit hard. The ball is punted (untouched) as he goes down and the ball does cross the neutral zone.

I did not call roughing the kicker because of the NCAA definition of a kicker stating that he is not a kicker until the ball is kicked or punted. He was hit prior to the actual punt. While he was "established" as a kicker, does he deserve protection before the ball is kicked? Many of our chapter said he does deserve protection because he is in position and established as a kicker. Others saw it as I did. Others were not sure and said it's a judgement call.

What say you experts?

The formation is "established" as a "scrimmage kick formation", but although that phrase has "kick" in it, it doesn't make anyone a kicker.

I'm with you. He has no protection until he actually kicks the ball. If that wasn't the case then how could B ever tackle this potential kicker behind the line of scrimmage?

I agree with you and your reasoning Andrew.

Lets change it a little bit to see it better. The kicker gets drilled before he even drops the ball to kick it, but just gets knocked weay back but doesn't go down. He stays on his feet and scrambles to the side, sets himself, and kicks the ball. You don't have RTK, you have nothing. The only way this is different from the original play is I put more of a time factor between the contact and the actual kick.

NFHS: A player does not become a kicker until he has legally kicked the ball. Once the player in position possesses the ball he is a runner. When he legally kicks the ball his status changes to kicker and special protection begins.