Muffed Kick
 

In (HFHS) Free kick or scrimmage kick and the ball goes past the LOS:

If K catches or touches the ball before R- what is the call?

If R muffs the kick under what condition can either side advance the ball? can K recover the ball? If the spot at first touching?

If R muffs the ball at the 35 and the ball bounces to the 12 can R still recover the ball or is it dead at the first touch

Free Kick: If K catches or touches the ball before it hits the ground, it's Kick Catching Interference. If they touch a grounded ball before it's gone 10 yards, it's First Touching. If they touch a grounded ball after it's gone 10 yards, it's nothing.

Scrimmage Kick: K can catch the ball only if no R player is in position to make a catch. If they touch it, it's First Touching.

R can advance it. K can recover but not advance. (NOTE: If K recovers behind the LOS, they can advance it.)

R can advance. First Touching only applies to K.

Thanks
 

So as I understand the rule if R does not touch the ball --once the kick is possessed by the kicking team the ball is dead at the spot of possession by rule?

And if R muffs the ball K can recover it but it is dead at the point of recovery?

Correct.

Also correct.

muffed kick
 

Great--- thanks

Two things to add to the discussion:

If any R player makes a valid or invalid fair catch signal then whenever any player recovers the muffed kick it is dead and cannot be advanced.

If a muffed kick bounces into R's end zone, it is a touchback immediately upon breaking the plane of the goal line. K (or R) may not recover a muffed kick in R's end zone.

Heck, neither K nor R may recover any kick in R's end zone.

:)

One of the simplest definitions, that causes all sorts of problems is (NF:2-24-2) "A KICK ENDS when a player gains possession or when the ball becomes dead while NOT in player possession".

No matter how many times a kick is touched, muffed (by either team) or it's direction is changed( how may ever times) it REMAINS A KICK (subject to ALL kick rules) until someone possesses it, or it's blown dead.

Thanks