Two Punts During One Down?

[FredFan7]

Fourth Down.  K lines up to punt.  The punt hits one of the up men in the back and bounces back to the punter who catches it.  He they punts it again and it's blocked and recovered behind the line by R.

We saw this last night and were stunned.

Since the second punt was blocked it was a moot point, but should we have had a flag?

[takemeaway10]

I've heard this question a few times... it isn't specifically outlined in the rulebook, but I believe that if a kicker catches his kick, he can continue the play like it just started: with a run, a pass, or a punt.

It's rare enough to make you  but there was nothing wrong with this play. They should put some variation of this in the Case Book, though.

[HLinNC]

Legal, behind the line.  Even if it crossed, touched an R player and bounced back.  Could also pass.

[NWA_UMP]

Ditto...Legal...

I have seen it as couple of times.

[mbyron]

Legal, behind the line.  Even if it crossed, touched an R player and bounced back.  Could also pass.

And: even if it crossed, did NOT touch an R player, and bounced back.

If it touched an R player, K should just down it: they'll get a new series.

[HLinNC]

Well yeah, that too.

[RickKY]

And: even if it crossed, did NOT touch an R player, and bounced back.

If it touched an R player, K should just down it: they'll get a new series.

6-2-3,4

[James]

Question as an NF newbie:
If the kick crosses the NZ and is touched by an R player then recovered by K is the ball not immediately dead? Or only if it is recovered beyond the LOS?

[HLinNC]

If R touches beyond the NZ and K recovers beyond the NZ then yes, K can not advance.  However if  R touches and K recovers behind the NZ, they may advance, pass, or kick again.

[mbyron]

Question as an NF newbie:
If the kick crosses the NZ and is touched by an R player then recovered by K is the ball not immediately dead? Or only if it is recovered beyond the LOS?

The key is to separate in your mind 2 issues:

1. Advance or no?
K may advance a scrimmage kick ONLY when they recover it behind the NZ. K may recover other kicks, but the ball is immediately dead. Where the kick is recovered is the ONLY consideration regarding this question.

2. New series or no?
K will be awarded a new series if they recover a scrimmage kick AFTER R touches the kick beyond the NZ (unless R is blocked into the kick). K may recover scrimmage kicks untouched by R, but K will not necessarily have a new series after that recovery. Whether R touches the kick beyond the NZ is the ONLY consideration regarding this question (unless K advances the ball legally past the LTG).

[indiotom]

I had this play in CIF championship game and the headlinesman had a flag for second kick from behind the line. I waved the flag off. There is no problem with a second kick.

[blandis]

The only thing you can't do twice is throw more than one forward pass. And that is fairly new to the NFHS only being about 10 years old. No limits on anything else if the criteria for a legal play is met.