Scrmmage kick

[frankb]

On a field goal attempt from R's 20 yard line R1 blocked the ball behaind the line of scrimmage and the ballis covered by K2 on R's 9 yard line which is beyond the line to gain for a first down. now what?

[STEVED21]

Assuming R did not touch the ball in advance of the LOS, it's R's ball, 1st & 10 on the 9. FED rules.

[frankb]

Is their ever a situation where there should be a measurement after a field goal try?

[STEVED21]

I think the only time that might happen is on a blocked FG, k recovers behind the NZ and advances close to a first down. If K recovers past the NZ, the ball is dead,R's ball or K's ball if touched by R past the NZ>

[BktBallRef]

Yes. If R blocked the ball and K recovered it behind the LOS, they could advance it for a first down.

[Mike Simonds]

In Frank's example, K's ball 1st and goal at R's 9 yard line. K or R may catch or recover the kick in or behind the neutral zone and advance. This assumes no accepted penalties during the loose ball portion of the play.

Additional clarification:

Assuming K recovers kick behind neutral zone and advances beyond the line to gain.

If K simply recovers the ball at the R 9 yard line, it is R's ball 1st and 10.

[Edited by Mike Simonds on Sep 26th, 2002 at 02:35 PM]

[snrmike]

In the initial example, R1 made contact with the kick behind the LOS. Unless K2 retrieved the ball behind the LOS, they cannot recover it as the ball is still considered a kick.

It's R's ball 1st & 10 at their own 9.

[insatty]

The scrimmage kick had not ended until K recovered it beyond the neutral zone. Thus, first down for R at the 9 yard line.

[JimNayzium]

What if a R player jumped and blocked the field goal one yard on his side of the neutral zone, and then K recovers on the 9, is this a muffed scrimmage kick or a blocked field goal...

Another question, what if R blocks the kick behind the neutral zone, but the ball flies over the neutral zone downfield and hits an R player on the head say ten yards downfield and the K recovers...is this K first and ten?

[snrmike]

Just kidding of course.

While what you describe regarding the one-yard thing could feasibly happen, it probably wouldn't be called that way. Besides, a kick that low would just be called a block. Only officials with the keenest eyesight would be able to catch that particular play.

In your second scenario, you are correct sir. The kick would become a muffed kick because the next touch is by the player on "R" who is well beyond the NZ. This scenario has happened at least twice in the past two seasons for our crew. The only diff was that in each case, the scrimmage kick was a punt, not a FG attempt. The play became a kick once the ball passed the NZ (LOS). A player from R tried to pick the ball up and run, but muffed the kick, allowing K to recover.

[STEVED21]

Jim,
The touching would be ignored in the expanded neutral zone, which is two yards past R's LOS. This way we don't have to worry on kicks blocked by R's linemen.