Should I Assume This Play Is Illegal in the States?

[maven]

Originally Posted by HLin NC

Yes and yes- NF 6-2-1

The penalty for R's illegal kick would be 15 yards.

It might not be enforced, however: R's illegal kick is treated as a fumble. There are a variety of scenarios here (R kicks pre- or post-possession, K or R recovers the ensuing "fumble," etc.). Here are a couple:

Play 1: K punts past the NZ, R kicks the ball pre-possession from the ground, K recovers. The penalty for IK during this loose-ball play would be enforced from the previous spot, 15 yards, and the down replayed (or 1/10 if past the LTG).

Play 2: K punts past the NZ, R kicks the ball pre-possession from the ground, R recovers. This IK foul qualifies as PSK and would be enforced from the spot of the foul (which I'm assuming is behind the end of the kick, where R finally recovered the ball).

Play 3: K punts past the NZ, R catches the kick and punts it back, K recovers. In this case K would have to decline the penalty for IK to keep possession.

Play 4: K punts past the NZ, R catches the kick and punts it back, R recovers. This post-possession foul is not PSK, but would still be enforced from the end of the "run" (which is also the spot of the foul).

There are numerous other variations (K's punt is blocked and R kicks it behind the NZ, it does/does not cross the NZ...).