When a punt is blocked, goes past the LOS, why doesn't the kicking team pick it up and go for a first down?

Question

In the Oregon St. vs. Stanford game, there was a blocked punt that still went past the LOS, but the kicking team just watched the ball stop and get called dead. The receiving team touched (blocked) the punt, so why doesn't the kicking team get to pick up the ball?

Answer 1

You can't get the ball back on a punt unless the receiving team fumbles it during the runback.

Answer 2

The rules are that on a punt, possession passes.  Only a subsequent fumble would pass it back.

Answer 3

There are two different issues here.

First, the kicking team can only advance the ball they recover it behind the neutral zone.  Since that ball crossed the NZ, it would be ruled dead if the kicking team recovered it.

Second, I'm guessing that you're thinking the kicking team would get the ball since the receiving team touched it.  That is only true if they receiving team touched it past the neutral zone.  Partially bocking a kick in or behind the NZ is ignored for the purposes of that rule.

I hope that straightens it out for you.    

Answer 4

Once a punted ball goes beyond the LOS, the possesion is changed and even if it's blocked, as long as that kick goes beyond the LOS, it's just like a regular punt.  Now, if that blocked kick did not go beyond the LOS, the kicking team can pick it up and advance the ball.

Answer 5

Idiotic players