Onside Kick

[HeadAlphaGeek]

There has been discussion on R initiating a block on an onside kick.  Here is 3-7
No member of the kicking team shall initiate contact to (block) an opponent on a free kick until:

a.  The legal kick has traveled 10 yards.
b.  The kicking team is eligible to recover a free-kicked ball
c.  The receiving team initiates a block within the neutral zone.

The question is does 3-7c "The receiving team" mean just 1 R player that initiates a block then K can go and block the rest of the team out of the way of the ball or does it mean it is individualized per R player and if that R player is not initiating a block he cannot be blocked before 10 yards?

Scenario

K kicking from the 40 yard line in obvious onside kick formation.  R4 comes up in the neutral zone and attempts to catch it off the bounce and the ball bounces over his head.  R1 comes up in neutral zone and blocks K1 in neutral zone.  R3 jumps up to catch the grounded kick and K3 blocks R3 in the side to push him out of the way.  Ball comes down between R2 and K2 and R2 recovers.  All of this action happens in the neutral zone.

[Ralph Damren]

It doesn't sound as if anything illegal occurred where R threw the first block and the kick had grounded. Things to keep in mind of neutral zone action on a free kick: With the exception of kick going OOB , the kick is just like a punt regarding possession. Have your bean bag ready for first touching by K. If an onside kick apparent, we move U & HL up to the 50, bumping LJ to K-40 and R playing 'center field'.

At a coaches clinic, when we added restrictions to onside kicks, a coach muttered : "OUR ONSIDE KICKS WON'T WORK MUCH ANYMORE  " i responded :
"..AND NIETHER WILL THEIRS  ."

[HLinNC]

See case play 9.3.7. A

Any R player.