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Looking for clarification on a punt fumble recovery?
I am hoping someone can help link specific rule guidance (high school rules preferred since this is what my youth league follows) to explain the ruling by the officials for a game situation we encountered this weekend.
The opponent faced 4th & 25 and decided to punt the ball. We dropped a player back to receive the ball and the punt was less than the 25 yard to the first down marker for the opponent. Our player attempted to catch the ball but missed. The ball was recovered about 10 yards short of the initial first down marker.
The ruling, after a few minute discussion by the officials, was that the opponent recovered the ball, 1rst down.
Was this the correct ruling? As this is youth football, nothing here will impact that particular play/game so this is just for my information in case it ever happens again. Surprisingly this is first fumble occurrence in all the years I've coached youth football during a punt return.
Please include a link to a rule or scenario, don't just state opinion on the ruling.
Thanks
I agree that it would normally be that way, but when the kick is so short, does it also apply? Another way to think about it would be if the kick was tipped by someone trying to block the punt. If someone hit it and the ball went just a few yards, but still short of the first down line, would the kicking team retain possession? Maybe the line of scrimmage factors into this, but I haven't been able to find anything to back it up. I agree with your assessment for the most part, I just wasn't sure what the rules were if it were short of the first down marker.
@BamaAndy - Perhaps my wording was off a bit. By miss, I actually meant that he attempted to catch it and it missed his hands but did go off his body so our player did make contact with the ball. Basically it hit him in the chest and rolled backwards, but never crossed the first down marker.
2 Answers
- BamaAndyLv 79 years agoFavorite Answer
It was a screwed up call.. The punt returner never touched the ball so the kicking team should have never gotten possession of the ball back.... I would check the league rules just to make sure. They should have a rule book that they go by... Good luck...
- 9 years ago
The kicking can recover the football and retain (hold) control of offense, only if the ball was touched by the receiving team. If not touched, the ball is down where the kicking team gained control of the ball, and the receiving team gains offensive control. I dont have a site or anything but thats the way it is in any football game.
Source(s): Football fan
