change of possession???

[JimNayzium]

Hey guys, I do highlight films in offseason and have a question.

Defense Blocks a punt...recovers behind the neutral zone right near the punter...runs aabout ten yards with ball...fumbles ball...punter recovers...

wouldnt the punter have to be past the line to gain for this to be a first down...or is this valid change of possesion so first dwon for K.???

[Theisey]

First down for Team-K (or team-A).
The continuity of downs was broken when team-R recovered the blocked scrimmage kick.
There no longer is a line to gain as in your play.

[JimNayzium]

if R muffs trying to recover then it is still R ball no matter what right?? assuming it stays behind the neutral zone....

another one:

if R blocks kick and it goes beyond the neutral zone it is like it was never blocked right? meaning R could muff this and lose ball?

[Theisey]

Originally posted by JimNayzium
if R muffs trying to recover then it is still R ball no matter what right?? assuming it stays behind the neutral zone....

Never say no matter what.. The touching of a blocked scrimage kick by R behind the NZ is not a factor on whose ball it will be at the end of the down. Whichever team recovers will be in possesion of the ball. Now just who snaps next will depend on what else happened during the play. That's what I started this off with never say no matter what.
Team R could have been flagged for some foul that occured during this loose ball play. That would give K another chance at fourth down or maybe even give them a first down.
If there were no fouls or a foul on K, then R would decline any team K foul and take over on downs.

another one:
if R blocks kick and it goes beyond the neutral zone it is like it was never blocked right? meaning R could muff this and lose ball?

Right, one the ball crosses the NZ, we can forget about the fact that there was a touch behind the NZ. All aspects of a scrimmage kick are in effect, including KCI against K.

Anyone see anything I might have missed?

[Mike Simonds]

Sounds correct to me.

For me these are the concepts I keep in mind during scrimmage kick downs:

During a scrimmage kick down, if R touches the ball beyond the neutral zone, a new series of downs will be awarded to the team in possession at the end of the down.

If the scrimmage kick is caught or recovered in or behind the neutral zone K or R may advance.

Touching of a scrimmage kick (including blocking it by R) is ignored if it occurs in or behind the neutral zone.

[Ed Hickland]

Originally posted by JimNayzium
if R muffs trying to recover then it is still R ball no matter what right?? assuming it stays behind the neutral zone....

That assumes it is fourth down. If R muffs a block behind the line of scrimmage and the down is 1, 2 or 3 and K recovers. Then the ball belongs to K.

another one:

if R blocks kick and it goes beyond the neutral zone it is like it was never blocked right? meaning R could muff this and lose ball?

R could muff beyond the neutral zone and K could recover but not advance -- you can advance a fumble but you can't advance a muff.