Roughing the punter

[Rick KY]

Well it depends on the timing. If the defender gets there soon enough the punter is still a runner holding the ball, and the contact is legal. Once he starts his kicking motion he becomes a protected kicker. Many officials I know would not call the foul if he gets the ball too, because getting the ball puts the defender in a position where the contact is, more often than not, unavoidable.