a. A legal scrimmage kick is a punt, drop kick or place kick made according to rule.
b. A return kick is an illegal kick, a live-ball foul that causes the ball to become dead (Rule 2-16-8).
PENALTY—For a return kick (live-ball foul): Five yards from the spot of the foul [S31].
c. A scrimmage kick made when the kicker’s entire body and the ball is or has been beyond the neutral zone is an illegal kick, a live-ball foul that causes the ball to become dead.
PENALTY—For an illegal kick beyond the neutral zone (live-ball foul): Five yards from the previous spot and loss of down [S31 and S9].
d. No device or material may be used to mark the spot of a scrimmage place kick or elevate the ball. This is a live-ball foul at the snap.
