Punter drops snap

[donttouchatwire]

Can the defense hit the punter if he drops the snap picks up the ball and still attempts to kick it right at the last second?

[NVFOA_Ump]

Can the defense hit the punter if he drops the snap picks up the ball and still attempts to kick it right at the last second?

Remember that until the punter actually kicks the ball he is a runner.  If he is still in his approximate original position after he has recovered the snap and has not clearly tried to run with ball, I'd treat him just like the muffed snap never occurred.  If the defensive player makes contact without touching the ball, we need to make a judgment call on roughing the kicker or not.  A muffed snap does not automatically take away a the "kicker protection" that a player gets once he's actually made a scrimmage kick.

[Osric Pureheart]

The question is "is it still obvious that a kick was going to be made?"  I'd say that as long as it seems to the R that a kick was obviously still going to be made, then kicker protection still applies.

[donttouchatwire]

What if he dodges the first would be tackler darts to a side then pulls up and rugby style kicks it. He started to run then kicked it. It is still unclear to the defense if his intention is to run or kick. Then the defender sees hes going to kick, Coming hard he dives to block the kick and really hits the punters legs hard.

[Kalle]

If he ran outside the original tackle position then it's easy: no roughing possible. Otherwise you still need to decide if it was obvious that a kick will be made. Osiric's guideline is good - if you as the referee think that the kick is obvious, flag it.

[The Ref Thats Lef]

Once he does something to say I may not kick the ball it is much harder for a defender to rough him.

If he steps around the first tackler then what is to say he will not step around the second if that player slows down for fear of hitting a kicker.

[chymechowder]

What if he dodges the first would be tackler darts to a side then pulls up and rugby style kicks it. He started to run then kicked it. It is still unclear to the defense if his intention is to run or kick. Then the defender sees hes going to kick, Coming hard he dives to block the kick and really hits the punters legs hard.

Based on your description, this is a foul. (Unless the contact ocurred after the punter had carried the ball outside the tackle box.)  If the defender was diving to block a kick, it's fair to say that the defender thought a kick might be made, right?   

[Sonofanump]

he dives to block the kick

Then the defender thinks he is going to be a kicker.

I've always thought that if in question, a defender will tackle a ball carrier and jump to block a kick.  Now the tackle could be late.