Tb?
 

Sorry folks, I'm new at this so forgive what might be a rookie question. Why wouldn't this be an immediate Touchback once the ball and R crossed the goal line? Isn't it killed right there and penalty marked off from 20?

Good question. It is not a touch back because it was not a kick that crossed the goal line. Once the R player possessed the kick, it was no longer a kick and instead became a running play.

Check out the Rule 2 definition of kicks:

2-24 Kicks:

ART. 2 . . . A kick ends when a player gains possession or when the ball becomes dead while not in player possession.

Then look at Rule 6-3-1:

ART. 1 . . . It is a touchback if any free kick or scrimmage kick:
a. Which is not a scoring attempt or which is a grounded three-point fieldgoal
attempt, breaks the plane of R’s goal line, unless R chooses a spot of
first touching by K.

I agree with Welpe - great question. He quoted the rule correctly.

Remember, a kick is a kick until the play is over or until someone possesses it. Once it's possessed, if it comes loose, it's a fumble.

Momentum
 

I guess the momentum part led me to believe it would be a TB if he was falling back into the EZ by momentum. It appeared that he didn't go in deliberately.

The momentum rule doesn't cause the ball to become dead in the endzone. The momentum rule applies only IF the ball becomes dead in the endzone. For example, during a scrimmage kick, R22 catches the kick at the 4 and his momentum carries him into the endzone. Once in the endzone, he slips and falls with the ball in possession, which makes the ball dead in his possession in the endzone. At this point, you would have a touchback (instead of a safety).

8-5-2 is your reference.

No, you don't have a touchback. You have a ball put in play at the spot of the catch which is the 4 yard line. This would normally be a safety but the momentum "exception" give R the ball at the 4 instead.

Whoops! You are correct, of course...don't know what I was thinking there. :eek:

Somebody put the idea 'touchback' in your head... :rolleyes: