I recall reading an interpretation on the 2018 tack on penalty during a kick down. The interpretation was the foul had to happen during the kick, which appears to conflict with the language of the rule. Was this in the case book?
Scenario: K live ball fouls during a punt. R receives the kick and returns for a TD. What are R’s options?
Below is a case play from the 2018 Case Book.
*6.1.9 SITUATION I:R returns K’s scrimmage kick for a touchdown and (a) during the kick, K commits a holding foul, or (b) during the runback, K commits a foul for blocking below the waist.
RULING: In (a), the succeeding spot from this play is the goal line (touchdown), therefore R may accept the foul with the distance penalty enforced on the try or decline the foul. In either case, the touchdown will score; however, since the foul occurred before the change of possession, there is no option to enforce the distance penalty from the succeeding kickoff. In (b), because the foul occurred on a play in which a touchdown was scored after the change in possession, R can count the touchdown and have the foul enforced on the try or on the succeeding kickoff per 8-2-3. (6-1-9, 8-2-3)
