Safety or Illegal touching??
 

4th and forever on your own 22 yard line, ball is snapped over the punters head. He picks the ball up on the 4yard line, sees he cant get the punt off, and kicks it out of the back of the end zone.

This is just a safety isnt it?

Could anything else happen where illegal touching be called and receiving team be given the ball at the 4 yard line?

if he picks the ball up, then kicks it, it's a legal punt and would just be a safety.

There is no illegal touching. NCAA rule for illegal kicking carries a loss of down, so if the ball was illegally kicked, it would be R's ball at the 2, 1st and 10. NFHS does not have a LOD, so if the penalty was accepted, 4th down would be replayed from the 2.

Not sure why this would be illegal touching. It couldn't even be an illegal kick because K is allowed to kick the ball in this situation.

I don't see any option R has other than accepting the results of the play. K will be free kicking from it's own 20 yard line.

NFHS - nothing but a safety.

If he'd have kicked it while it was loose, then illegal kick from the spot, half the distance, replay 4th down, or decline and safety.

And if the spot of the illegal kick is in the end zone, we've got a safety either way.

You betcha

Canadian Ruling
 

CANADIAN RULING:

Safety.