Expert: Thom Brooks - 11/18/2008

Question
QUESTION: If a player bats the ball out of bounds, does his team get or retain possession? What happens on a kick off and the receiving player bats the ball out of bounds. Whose possession? Is the rule different for a punt?

ANSWER: Tim, hello!

You asked questions that can have many answers, depending on how and when the batting occurs.  

First, it would depend on if the batter's team had possession of the ball.  If they did, then they would retain possession (like the QB throwing the ball away).  It would depend on if the ball was batted forward or batted twice.  If the R team bats the ball, it would depend on if during the punt who had possession or if it was a kick, it would depend on if the ball had been "First Touched" by the kicking team or if the kicking team caught it in the air before hitting the ground.  

I have attached the NCAA website for you to review the rules.  If you re-create the exact play, I can tell you the results of the play.

Take care,

Thom Brooks



Please review the following websites. The first one is my youngest son's band!

www.myspace.com/listen2three




Official Web Site of the NCAA



http://www.ncaapublications.com/Uploads/PDF/Football_Rulesadc982b5-03fb-4e27-828




http://www.ncaapublications.com/Uploads/PDF/Football_Rulesadc982b5-03fb-4e27-828 c2d26b95e6c1.pdf
http://www.ncaa.org/library/rules/2006/2006_football_rules.pdf





---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The Play. NCAA football. Onsides kick. The kicker drives the ball into the ground and it bounces high at 10 yards. The player in the front line of the receiving team leaps high and bats it out of bounds. Ref throws a flag. What's the penalty? Whose possession?

Answer
Tim, hello again!

The penalty was likely for the R Team Batting the ball forward.  It would be R team's ball with a 15 yard penalty for illegal batting.

Had the K team touched the ball before it went 10 yards, it would have been a bean bag at the spot and the R team would have the choice of rekicking or taking the ball at the spot.  

Had the R team not batted the ball but have recovered, they would have possession at that spot with no penalty.

Take care,

Thom Brooks