Kickoff hits about the 10 yard line and skips toward the endzone. Return man makes an attempt to catch the ball at the 3. Ball goes past him and in the endzone.
Ritter (White Hat) signals that the ball has been touched. Second return man sees the signal, panics, grabs the ball abut eight yards deep and scrambles out of the endzone. Replay shows that the ball was never touched.
Questions:
1. I figured the muff rule applied if the ball had been touched on the field of play and that the ball could have simply been downed in the endzone for a touchback. Right or wrong? The CBS Official stated this to be the case.
2. Touched or not, Return man panics and tries to return from the endzone. Tackled in the endzone ....Safety?
3. Fumble in the endzone ....Recovery by K Touchdown? Fumble and recovery by R Safety?
Is the requirement along the lines NFL? The ball must be downed for a touchback?
He signaled the ball was touched because if the ball was untouched then it would be dead immediately when it touches the ground in the endzone. With that in mind, let's address your questions:
1) If the player took a knee in the endzone the result would be a touchback.
2) Would still be a touchback is tackled in the endzone.
3) If the player fumbled in the endzone, and K recovered, it would be a touchdown. If R recovered, it would still be a touchback unless the fumble took the ball out of the endzone.
