Is this legal in NFHS?

[bigjohn]

In NFHS is it the NZ or ENZ??

ART. 3 . . . Any K player may catch or recover a scrimmage kick while it is in
or behind the neutral zone and advance, unless it is during a try.


ART. 5 . . . When any K player touches a scrimmage kick beyond the expanded neutral zone to R’s goal line before it is touched beyond the neutral zone by R
and before the ball has come to rest, it is referred to as “first touching of the kick”
and the place is the “spot of first touching.” Such touching is ignored if it is
caused by R pushing or blocking K into contact with the ball.

[HLin NC]

It is as it reads- Article 3 is the NZ, Article 5 is the ENZ

Article 5 is to allow the touching in the ENZ to be ignored by linemen attempting to bat or block the kick. Without that you'd have 1st touching awfully close.

[bigjohn]

Article 5 is to allow the touching in the ENZ to be ignored by linemen attempting to bat or block the kick. Without that you'd have 1st touching awfully close.

When any K player touches a scrimmage kick beyond the expanded neutral zone to R’s goal line


Why would K linemen be trying to bat the kick???


I don't get why one part of the rule says nz and another part says enz.

[Suudy]

Originally Posted by bigjohn

I don't get why one part of the rule says nz and another part says enz.

Because presumably K blockers may be actively blocking beyond the NZ, into the ENZ. And if a low kick hits one of K in the ENZ (presumably blocking) it is ignored and there is no first touching.

The first part (Art 3) is about advancing a kick. The latter (Art 5) is about touching a kick.

[HLin NC]

Article 5- My bad, thinking R. I'm thinking R batting a low scrimmage kick, the touching is ignored.

Principle is the same- kick glances off the back side of an oblivious K lineman before traveling on downfield. Pretty heavy price to pay to award first touching there to R at the LOS where it bounced off his yazz.

Article 3- Enables K to recover and advance, pass, or kick again during the down. It also enables them to retain possession, say on a blocked 3rd down FG attempt.

[bigjohn]

So if K recovers a kick (beyond the NZ) that hits a K player in the ENZ that would result in a first down say it was 4th and 1 it is not a first down but Rs ball, correct?

That is the only part I really think is a bit cloudy.

[HLin NC]

Its ignoring what would be first touching by K in the ENZ, otherwise.