Free Kick Penalty Enforcement

[JDM]

From the Big XII/Mountain West/Southland preseason test - question #16:

A Kick-Off A35. Kicker A33 attempts an on-side kick that is recovered by A22 at the A44. The kick was untouched by Team B. A15’s right foot was at the A36 when the ball was kicked.

If accepted, what is the penalty enforcement option(s)?

[fencewire]

B 1-10 @ A39 or A Rekick @ A30, I think B would take the ball.

[JDM]

I found almost the exact play in the 2013-2014 Redding Study Guide and the ruling is consistent with both options (dead ball spot or previous spot enforcement).

Perhaps I'm misinterpreting the rule but it seems to me at the end of the down, although Team B will begin a new series, the ball "belongs" to Team A.

Rule 2-4-2:
"Belongs to”, as contrasted with “in possession,” denotes custody of a dead ball. Such custody may be temporary, because the ball must next be put in play in accordance with rules governing the existing situation.

The penalty statement reads:
"Live-ball foul. Five yards from the previous spot, or five yards from the spot where the subsequent dead ball "belongs" to Team B."

[Kalle]

See the new A.R. 6-1-3-II. JDM is correct, either take the ball at the spot of the recovery (A-44) or rekick from A-30.

[ref6983]

6-1-6a tells us that the ball belongs to the receivers if the kicking team is not in legal possession at the end of the play, which is the case in the original post, so the penalty can be tacked on.

A has legal possession in the AR noted so it has a different ruling.

[Andrew McCarthy]

See the new A.R. 6-1-3-II. JDM is correct, either take the ball at the spot of the recovery (A-44) or rekick from A-30.

In the AR the ball was legally recovered by Team A since it went 10 yards. In the posted play the ball did not go 10 yards nor was it touched by Team B.  We can enforce from that spot.

(Ref6983 beat me to it)

[JDM]

Rule 6-1-6-a does the trick for me! Enforce the penalty from the dead ball spot or the previous spot.

[Kalle]

 Silly me, didn't read the part about the ball going 10 yards. 6-1-6-a is clear.