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Expert: - 10/10/2011


Question
Does possession of the ball change when a ball is punted?  During the Texas/OU game Texas ended up with 4th and 49 and needed to get to the 4 yard line for a 1st down.  They punted the ball.  If the punt had been muffed and recovered by Texas on the 10 yard line, would they gotten the ball with a 1st and goal, or would they turn the ball over on downs because they didn't reach the 4 yard line?

Answer
Chris
This was a scrimmage kick play [punt] so think of it this way, Texas was giving up trying to get to the line to gain and was giving the ball to OU(this is a simple way of understanding the concept).  In your question, Texas would not have gotten the ball if they [Texas, the kicking team] muffed the ball at the 10 yard line].

Texas was kicking and Oklahoma was receiving.  The only way Texas could get a new series of downs would have been if Oklahoma would have muffed/touched the ball first beyond the neutral zone and then Texas recovered [ or if OU gained possession and fumbled during a return and Texas recovered the fumble].

If the kick was muffed by Texas the spot of the first touching of the kicked ball would be the "illegal touching spot" and once recovered by the kicking team the ball becomes dead at that spot by rule. The ball then belongs to the Receiving team and they have a choice of putting the ball in play at the illegal touching spot or there the kicking team recovered the ball.

In your question, if OU [the Receiving team] had muffed the kick at the 10 yardline and Texas recovered the ball, it would be Texas ball 1st down where they recovered it.

I hope this helps to explain you play situation. Feel free to ask a follow up if necessary

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